Video: Babcock University Students Boo Gov. Abiodun Over Anti-Protest Remarks

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, was booed by the students of Babcock University at the weekend while urging them to shun the forthcoming nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests against hardship, hunger, and misgovernance in Nigeria.

The booing occurred while Governor Abiodun was speaking at the 22nd undergraduate and 13th postgraduate convocation ceremonies of Babcock University in Ilishan, located in the Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.

A video seen by Osun Defender captured students expressing their disapproval during an address by the governor, who claimed that the upcoming nationwide protests are being orchestrated by politicians who lost in the elections.

The three-minute video captures the governor being continuously booed as he tries to explain Nigeria’s inflation by linking it to global factors. He also defended President Bola Tinubu’s actions, such as removing fuel subsidies and floating the naira, arguing that these measures have alleviated the situation and prevented it from worsening.

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However, his remarks were met with widespread disapproval from the students.

Even with the loudspeakers blaring, the students’ voices were clearly heard, expressing their discontent through shouts, laughter, and murmurs of disapproval.

The video captured the scene, showing the governor’s words being drowned out by the crowd’s vocal dissatisfaction, with some students even mocking him through laughter and whispered comments.

The governor started by saying, “As good ambassadors of this great citadel, I seize this opportunity to appeal to our youths to constructively engage with the government to finding lasting solutions to Nigerians problems rather than engaging in protests that may start peacefully but usually get hijacked and may lead to anarchy.

“What have we ever gained from protests except losses in productivity, loss of lives, loss of private and government property, looting, and vandalisation of assets?” he said.

However, the governor’s words were quickly met with a chorus of disapproval, as a loud murmur of discontent erupted from the crowd, drowning out his voice.

He continued, “This government has only been in office for one year. Cutting of the head is not the solution to a headache. Inflation is worldwide.

“Our President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had very little choices when he assumed the office. He had to take the bull by the horns. He had to remove the subsidy, he had to float the naira otherwise it would have been worse, trust me.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he continued, “This administration has initiated a lot of interventions to cushion the effects of the inflation.

“Recently, we heard the announcement of the minimum wage, we have had a lot of youths and vulnerable empowerments, students loan are being put in place, Agric and fertiliser inputs are being given to farmers, they have provided food items as palliative at subsidise prices among others.”

The murmurs of discontent grew louder, but soon subsided.

After some pause, Governor Abiodun said, “Great Nigerian students, this current wave of inflation is biting everywhere. It’s in the UK, in the US, in Ghana and in Egypt. So, it is not peculiar to Nigeria alone.

“Which investor will be attracted to a nation that is under siege by protesters as perceived as not being peaceful?

“Please, do not allow yourself to be used by a so-called leaderless movement sponsored by frustrated politicians who tried in the ballot and lost. We do not need protests. We must not gamble with anarchy. Please, let us dialogue.”

As he said that, the crowd’s disapproval was amplified, with the noise escalating into a roar of dissent.