20th October, 2014
Akintola Lukman/Ile-Ife
The student union of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state has appealed to the members of the public to come to their aid over the eight suspended students by the university management.
The suspended students were alleged to have abducted Habeeb Olayinka Alabi, who was the electoral chairman of the last students union electioneering process. The suspension letter that was served to the eight students read: “According to an ongoing police investigation, you were involved in the abduction of Habeeb Olayinka and you are thereby suspended indefinitely from the university”.
Some of the suspended students are Sanyaolu Olajuwon, a 400 level student of Microbiology; Olubanji Oluwole, 400 level student of Philosophy; Joshua Pele, 400 level Law student, among others.
The student union of OAU has however pleaded to the general public, stakeholders and alumni of Great Ife to come to their aid as the studentship of their colleagues are been threatened.
PM News Campus Square recalls that a press conference was held at the Ken Sarowiwa Students Union Building, OAU, Ile-Ife on Friday, 17 October with the aim of finding a solution to the problem.
Speaking at the press conference was Comrade Ibikunle Isaac Motunrayo, the students union president of the university and also a 500 level Law student, who expressed the deepest feelings of the union executive as the university management has denied their suspended colleagues their rights of studentship based on unfounded allegations.
“The students union executives of this great institution have been threatened with probational rustication based on fraudulent grounds. Also, eight students of this institution have also been suspended all because we established our constitutional right.
“In lieu of this, we demand for immediate and unconditional reinstatement of our victimised activists, all criminal charges against OAU eight must be dropped, democratic rights of students to independent unionism and lifting of union leadership probational threat. We therefore, seek the help of all Great Ife alumni, stakeholders and the general public to come to our aid,” he expressed.
Also briefing PM News Campus Square was the students union PRO, Comrade Bamidele Oludare, who made it clear that despite the union Leaders effort to ensure effective running of their administration, some set of students have decided to place them under siege.
“Despite our efforts to ensure that our suspended colleagues are reinstated and students get better welfare on campus, a handful of students have decided to place the union under siege. We also seek the help of our stakeholders on this too as the welfare of our members remain our aim,” he urged.