OAU SUG LEADERS SUSPENDED FOR FOUR SEMESTERS (GBESE RE!!)

This is in the news: OAU SUG Leaders
Suspended. Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, have suspended
three student union leaders for allegedly
assaulting a professor.
The students are the President of the student
body, Omotayo Akande who bagged six
semesters (three years); PRO, Emmanuel
Ojedokun – four semesters (two years); and
Secretary General, Seun Oketooto – four
semesters (two years).
The trio are all final year students and they
would have started their examinations in the next
two months.
Students of the university, however, argued that
the suspension of their leaders have to do with
their recent agitation for better welfare
conditions on campus.
It would be recalled that students of the OAU
had staged a day peaceful protest, lecture
boycott and later media campaign against the
poor state of infrastructure in the university.
Subsequently after the students agitation for
better welfare, the authorities of OAU shut down
the university by declaring a mid-semester break
which lasted for about a month.
The school had since the closure of the school
also suspended student unionism on the campus.
It was further learnt that some hall (hostel)
executives ?in the university are currently facing
a panel for their roles in the protest against poor
welfare on the campus.
Among the OAU SUG Leaders Suspended.
Suspended OAU Student Union President, Mr.
Omotayo Akande, confirmed the suspension in a
statement aimed at dousing confusion among
students.
Akande, who is a 500-level Chemical Engineering
student said, “We will like to note that the union
is currently examining the situation and will try to
adopt the best approach to handle the
victimisation and achieve not only our
reinstatement but also ensure that the cause for
a better welfare condition is achieved in the
university.”
He claimed that none of the suspended students
had any record of impoliteness, adding that the
protest was embarked upon after diplomacy
failed.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Nigerian Students
Against Neo-Liberal Attacks has faulted the
suspension of the students since the news
spread that OAU SUG Leaders Suspended.
The group described the action as not only
escapist but also undemocratic.
It added, “We wish to state that we strongly
condemn the victimisation of student activists by
the authorities under any guise; and we advise
the OAU management to desist from such a
vindictive action.”