UI Students’ Suspension Over Fee Protest Draws Criticism

The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has condemned the suspension of two University of Ibadan students, Aduwo Ayodele and Mide Badegbesin, for their roles in opposing the university’s fee hike.

The students were said to have been suspended for four semesters by the Central Students Disciplinary Committee of the school.

In a statement signed by the group’s Deputy National Coordinator, Ogunjimi Isaac and the National Mobilisation Officer, Adaramoye Lenin, on Tuesday, the ERC described the suspension as “victimisation” and demanded the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the students.

“We of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) wish to express our stern opposition to the recent suspension of two students of the University of Ibadan – Aduwo Ayodele, a 400-level student of the History Department and Mide Badegbesin, a 700-level postgraduate student.

“These students were unjustly suspended for 4 semesters over their leading role in opposing the exorbitant increment in students’ fees by the University management under the leadership of Vice-chancellor Kayode Adebowale. We demand the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of these students,” it said.

The group criticised the university management under Vice-Chancellor Kayode Adebowale for clamping down on critical thinking and dissenting voices.

“A university community that is worth its salt must not clamp down on critical thinking and a culture of holding divergent views. Since last year, Aduwo, Gbadegesin, and Linus Nice have been victims of arrest and harassment by the school for merely displaying placards calling for the reversal of the fee hike at the inauguration of a new students’ union leadership. In fact, the school had to cook up lies against them, leading to their being violently arrested and unjustly detained.

“This reprehensible conduct, unexpected in an academic setting, has never been apologised for by the school. Instead, they have intensified their attacks on these innocent students,” the group said.

The ERC also pointed out the case of Linus Nice, a student who was democratically elected into the students’ parliament but had her victory annulled by the school authorities.

“For instance, Linus Nice was democratically elected into the students’ parliament and even got the highest number of votes, yet the school authorities unilaterally annulled her victory. This blatant disregard for students’ rights and basic democratic principles is what has placed Prof Kayode Adebowale high on the list of tyrants.

“The reality is that the university management led by Kayode Adebowale is not tolerant of the voices of students, especially of student activists like Aduwo, Gbadegesin, Linus Nice, and many other activists resisting the tyranny of the school authorities and the attempt to price education out of the reach of the children of the working and toiling masses,” it said.

The group accused the university management of intolerance towards student activists and disregard for democratic principles.

It called on students, workers, and civil society organisations to show solidarity with the suspended students and demand an end to attacks on democratic rights in the university.

The group also urged the Students’ Union leadership to detach itself from the university management and lead the fight against the attacks on students’ rights.

“We call for the immediate reversal of the exorbitantly hiked fees. We call on all Nigerian students to rise in defence of Aduwo Ayodele and Gbadegesin and also join us in the campaign for a better, adequately funded and democratically managed public education sector,” it said.

UI Students’ Suspension Over Fee Protest Draws Criticism is first published on The Whistler Newspaper