The students who had earlier moved round the State and the Secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalist, NUJ, at Oke Ilewo carried various placards asking the governor to slash the fees further to N50,000 at the universities owned by the state.
The students also argued that the reduction approved by Governor Ibikunle Amosun should have taken effect from 2013/2014 session, rather than 2014/2015 academic session as was announced by the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barr. Segun Odubela on Tuesday.
The students also argued that any reduction above N50, 000 would not be accepted by them, arguing that the Governor, during the electioneering campaign had promised drastic reduction in the tuition fees. They added that if Governor Fashola of Lagos State could reduce fees in LASU to N25,000, Ogun State must not be different.
Addressing the protesting students, the Education Commissioner appealed to the students to maintain peace and remain calm until the Governor, who was away in Abuja attending a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease returned.
However, the Students vowed to wait for the governor, to address their grievances.
“Even if it’s going to take us one month or more than that, we are not going to leave the governor’s office premises until the governor attends to us. Enough of deceit, why the political school fees, when election is forthcoming, no we shall not accept the dubious offer.
“It is a political reduction instead of proper reduction. Our demand is simple, we want breakdown of our tuition fees. Also we want the reduction to be implemented this session, it’s simple as ABC. If the governor realized the need for reduction, why must the governor say the implementation must be from next session,” OOU Students’ Union President argued.
The protest, however, turned violent as a bus conveying the Students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, MAPOLY, was attacked around Kuto roundabout on their way back to the campus after the solidarity rally.
In what looked like a reprisal attack, the MAPOLY students reinforced and attacked the students of Olabisi Onabanjo University leaving four seriously injured, while many others lost valuables like phones, wrist watches, shoes, bags and other items.
The main entrance of the Federal Secretariat in Oke-Mosan was later turned to a battle field as passersby and other road users, including, men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC were seen running for their lives while shops and other offices were hurriedly shut. When the State Police Commissioner, CP Ikemefuna Okoye arrived the scene, his convoy was also caught in the web of the rampaging students as it was not given passage into the Secretariat. The blockade forced the Police boss to alight from his car to address the aggrieved students.
“I want to appeal to you to remain calm, don’t disrupt the peace we have been enjoying in the State. I can understand your plight, let me go in there and talk to them. My people are here and they are not here to fight you, they are here to maintain peace and order, you must not do anything that can cause chaos and unrest”, Okoye pleaded.
Later as calm was restored, the students were seen eating, dancing, sleeping and playing football at the main entrance to the State Secretariat, while motorists were forced to move at snail movement, with policemen and other security agencies on ground to ensure that law and order was maintained.
Leave a Reply