The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State has shut down the institution.
The students on Friday staged a peaceful protest over the death of a final year student of Foreign Languages department, Aisha Adesina.
VAM News learnt late Adesina was said to have died at Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Ile-Ife, where she was referred to by the university’s health centre.
The protesting students accused the university’s health centre of poor management Adesina’s case.
But in its reaction to the allegation, the university in a statement by its public relations officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, denied the accusations and appealed to the students to remain calm.
The school management condemned in strong terms the continuous and uncontrolled protests by the students which culminated in unbridled brigandage, blocking of the Ife/Ibadan and Ife/Ede highways as alternative routes, and engaging in acts that are detrimental to their health and the safety of the generality of the people.
Olanrewaju, while explaining that the management understood the grief which has resulted from Aishat’s untimely death, added that the University had exhausted all necessary avenues to call the students to order and allow for normalcy to return to the campus before it took the decision to close down the school.
“The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, have accordingly closed down the school until further notice. This is to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
“In view of this, all students are hereby directed to vacate their halls of residence and the campus latest by 12:00 noon on Saturday, 2nd October, 2021.
“Consequently, the swearing-in of the newly elected Students’ Union officials has been put on hold pending a review of the situation.
“In the meantime, the University management has put in place the machinery to unravel the circumstances surrounding the immediate and remote cause(s) of the crisis.”
The university spokesperson stated that the management sympathises with the parents, friends, colleagues and the entire students of the University on the sad loss and prays for the repose of her soul.
