The University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State, has been shut down for three weeks following a protest by students over a recent tuition hike.
The institution’s management directed all students to vacate the campus by 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 31, 2024, following the protest that took place on Friday.
During the protest, students carried placards with messages such as “We Say No Tuition Hikes,” “The Management Is Insensitive To Our Plights,” and “Our Parents Cannot Afford The New Hikes,” and they blocked the roads leading to the university campus.
A circular dated August 30, 2024, signed by the institution’s Registrar, G. O. Saliu, stated that the closure was decided after a meeting between the university’s management and the leadership of the student union on Friday. The Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the Senate, approved the decision to close the institution for three weeks.
“All students are to vacate the university campus by 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 31, 2024,” the circular read. “The hostels will be reopened from noon on Friday, September 20, 2024.”
The directive also noted that the three-week closure is to give students time to complete their online registration. It added that the 2023/2024 first semester examinations will begin on Monday, September 23, 2024, and the registration period will end on Friday, September 20, 2024.
Despite the institution’s decision, students have vowed to continue their protest until their demands are met. According to a statement from the Union of Campus Journalists, students are already mobilizing to resume their peaceful demonstrations, which have been ongoing for three days.
The statement reads: “Following the University of Ibadan’s announcement of a three-week break, students are once again mobilising to resume their protests, which have been ongoing for the past three days. The memorandum, released earlier today by the Office of the Registrar, has sparked renewed anger among the student body, leading to calls for immediate action.”
The students perceive the closure as a strategy to weaken the momentum of their protests against the recent fee hike and are determined to continue their demonstrations until their demands are addressed.
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