Scores of students of the University of Ibadan (UI) in Oyo State, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, protested against the recent hike in tuition fees and electricity rationing in the institution.

The protesting students wore masks to hide their identities, with some blocking the main entrance to the university, and others around the UI Senate Building.

A document sighted indicated that the decision to stage the protest was sequel to the resolution reached at an emergency congress held at the institution on Tuesday, July 16.

The document signed by the Council of Faculty President (COFP) read in part: “The resolution of the emergency congress/demonstration on the night of 16th July 2024 is that the union will embark on a peaceful demonstration on 17th July 2024 by 5.30 a.m.

“Sequel to this, there is to be a mass boycott of lectures and classes today as transportation will not be available on campus.”

It listed the demands of the students to include the reversal of the new electricity rationing policy and total reversal of tuition fee hike.

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A 200-level student of Political Science, who declined to be named, urged the federal government and the UI management to help Nigerians who were already grappling with the present economic hardship to have education.

According to him, some of his colleagues are now contemplating quitting their studies because of the hike in the school and utility fees.

The student said: “The present school fees are too much for us; we can’t afford it. We need education subsidy.

“Those studying Psychology are now to pay N140,000, while those in Political Science are paying about N80,000. There are some other departments that are paying more than N300,000.

“There is so much anger among the students but this is a peaceful protest to call on the federal government and the school management to reconsider their stand on the tuition fees.”

The student added that the management had, on Monday, released a memo notifying them of electricity rationing and 100 per cent increase in the utility fees.

Another 300-level Theatre Arts student said fee increment at the university has become an annual thing.

She disclosed that she paid N70,000 in 2023 and about N100,000 I 2024, lamenting that the fees had continued increasing since she gained admission into the university.

The student lamented that nothing seemed to be working anymore in UI, saying many lecturers have since been in the habit of cancelling lectures at will.

She added: “Jaja Clinic is not functioning as it should. We have just one doctor taking care of about 4,000 students.

“There is no light, there is no water. I felt that if we kept quiet, the situation might get worse.”

Another student also said the electricity rationing was not in the best interest of the students.

“We are given only five hours during the day and five hours at night and this only favours us when we are in the classrooms but by the time we get back to our hotels, there will be no light,” the student lamented.

The university, in an internal memo dated July 16 and signed by the Director of Works, O.A. Adetolu, said the UI Vice-Chancellor approved a 10-hour daily electricity supply on campus.

According to the memo, there will be electricity supply from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

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Speaking on the protest, the UI spokesperson, Joke Akinpelu, said the management had been meeting with the students to resolve the issue.

“We just had another meeting with the students now to resolve the issue,” she said.

The Star