Nigeria’s apex students’ body, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D, has slammed the Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, and his management team for shutting the school.
It described the closure as “reckless” while demanding that as a matter of urgency and necessity, the institution should be reopened for students to continue their examinations.
The NANS Zone D also threatened to call for the removal of the Prof Ogunbodede as the Vice-Chancellor, while revealing that its zonal leadership would relocate its secretariat to the University campus gate until the VC reversed the decision.
Students of the institution had demonstrated on Friday as a result of the death of a colleague, Adesina Aishat, at the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Ile-Ife on Thursday.
The protesting students had alleged that the death of Aishat was due to negligence on the part of the staff at the University Health Centre.
In a press statement by Kowe Odunayo Amos, Coordinator, NANS Zone D and Giwa Yisa Temitope, Secretary-General, the students described the order by the institution management to close down OAU as infantile.
It said, “As an association, we find it appalling that the University management could go to the extent of twisting the narrative by saying that she (the victim who died) was adequately treated. Meanwhile, reverse was the case. It is on good record that the helpless student was abandoned and was certified brought-in-dead at Seventh Day Hospital, Mayfair, for treatment where she gave up the ghost.
“But the management in their characteristic manner had to lie that she was promptly treated of severe infection (which they could not even name). The fact that the management could not name the ‘severe infection’ is a testament to the fact that they lied.
“As against the content of the 4th paragraph of the circular that was issued by the University management, there was no attempt by the University management “to call the students to order and allow normalcy to return to the campus and its environs.”
NANS also rebuked the Ogunbodede for refusing to heed all calls to come out and address the protesting students who were actually requesting for his presence at the protest ground.
“At least, protest is an internationally recognised right and the students were still acting within the prism of their fundamental rights. Issues are very clear.” It concluded.
