Students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago – Iwoye, in their
thousands have seized the entrance to the Oke – Mosan Governor’s Office,
demanding 50 percent reduction in their tuition fee.
They are insisting they will not leave until the governor, who is said to be on his way to his office, addresses them.
The students have right now blocked the Abeokuta – Kobape – Sagamu
expressway making vehicular movement nightmarish for travellers and
motorists going to and fro Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
They dropped a frightening pot of fetish objects – ebo (sacrifice)
bearing egg, eko, feather among others at the Governor’s Office gate
with all the items smeared with red palm oil.
The students have reportedly been shot at and tear-gassed by soldiers this morning as they marched to the Governors’ office.
After being tear-gassed, angry students started destroying property and damaging all taxis that toured the road.
They are protesting that the reduction in their tuition fee, should
take immediate effect – 2013/2014 academic session and not by next
session.
The protesting OOU students led by their leader, Comrade Ifade Olusegun, said
“Even if it’s going to take us one month or more than that, we are
not going to leave the governor’s office premises until the governor
attend to us. Enough of deceit, why the political school fees, when
election is forthcoming, no we shall not accept the dubious offer.
“It is a political reduction instead of proper reduction. Our demand
is simple, we want breakdown of our tuition fees. Also we want the
reduction to be implemented this session, it’s simple as ABC. If the
governor realized the need for reduction, why must governor say the
implementation must be from next session?”
The students reckoned that any reduction above N50, 000 is
unacceptable to them and not in consonance with the present economic
reality, adding that the Governor, during the electioneering campaign
had promised drastic reduction in the tuition fees.