OAU students protest, say no ID card, no exam

Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on Monday, staged a peaceful demonstration on campus to demand the issuance of the institution’s identity (ID) card.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students, who trooped out to the university’s main gate, chanted solidarity songs asking the authorities to issue them their ID cards or no examination.

The President, Great Ife Students’ Union, Issac Omoboriowo, told NAN in an interview that the students would not allow the conduct of examinations without the provision of ID cards for students.

Mr Omoboriowo said the students were taking legitimate action by demonstrating for their rights.

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According to him, for the past six years, students have only received their ID cards once, even after paying for them along with the school fees every year.

“So, no ID card, no exam,” the students’ union leader said.

He also said that the demonstration provided them the avenue to take their firm stand and make it known to the world that they were paying for ID cards annually, but not getting it.

Another student, Jimoh Oladipupo, said that it was regrettable that the university management had not provided identity cards for students for six consecutive years.

Mr Oladipupo described the development as a fraudulent act by the management.

Another student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that his hostel, Awolowo Hall, had been overgrown with weeds and infested by wild and dangerous animals.

“There’s also the scarcity of water in this whole big academic environment,” the student said.

He also complained about the overpopulated hostels and inadequacy of hostels, adding that the existing ones were old and dilapidated.

“The situation has compelled many students to live off campus, even though not convenient for their parents.

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“The management didn’t give us reasonable response for the ugly development, which is embarrassing to the university.

“There’s no way of identifying students and non-students because no one has an ID card,” he said.

The protesters urged the institution’s management to take urgent steps to produce ID cards and build more lecture theatres.

They also appealed to the federal government to adequately fund education in the country.

Reacting to the students’ action, the university’s Public Relations, Abiodun Olarewaju, said that the management was taking steps to address their complaints.

(NAN)