22nd June, 2015
Abiofun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Pandemonium broke out last week Thursday at the Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, Ado-Odo-Ota local government area of the state when students of the institution went berserk and shut down the school.
The protest which reportedly forced the rector of the College, Dr. Olufunke Akinkuolere to go into hiding and her whereabouts is unknown as at the time of filing this report.
The atmosphere in the area became more tensed forcing residents and traders around the school to hurriedly closed their shops and run for safety.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that the students allegedly threatened to deal with the rector because she was going to cancel the election of the institution’s Students Union Government, SUG.
A source who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the angry students on Thursday, June 18, blocked the main entrance to the institute as early as 7:00am ensuring no vehicular movement into the school.
According to the source, “the protest started on Wednesday and got worse the following day, when the students were set to conduct the SUG election but were suddenly stopped by the rector.
“The election was supposed to have been held last December but was postponed by the rector who resumed office in June, 2014. And when the students planned to conduct the election on Thursday their was an order to stop it,” the source hinted.
PM News gathered that there was no casaulty, as the rector and other members of staff stayed in their apartments while the protesting students restrained themselves from physically attacking them.
Meanwhile, the Ogun state government has directed that the school be shut and students ordered to vacate the campus with immediate effect.
Several attempts to get a reaction from the rector, Mrs Olufunke Akinkuolere was unsuccessful as she did not pick her calls or respond to the messages sent to her mobile line.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Chairman, Students Union Electoral Committee, Tunde Okunlola said the rector claimed that she had been ordered by the government to stop the election but maintained that they would continue to protest until the directive is reversed and the election conducted.