OAU Students' groups blame university authorities over death of colleague.
Peter Oyebanji
Students' groups in Obafemi Awolowo University have blamed the death of Abiodun Babatola, a 200-level student of the department of Management and Accounting, on the the school management.
Recall that Abiodun Babatola was attacked by armed robbers in the wee hours of Saturday, 22nd of December in his girlfriend's hostel. Eye witnesses had it that Abiodun could have survived if not for the negligent attitudes of the university's health centre and teaching hospital.
However, in the reports released by the Association of Campus Journalists, Obafemi Awolowo University (ACJ, OAU) and the Students' Union Action Committee, both blamed the management for the death of Abiodun Babatola.
The action commitee blamed the management as a result of the accommodation policy and the insensitivity to security. The accommodation policy adopted by the school management towards the end of last session has been a subject of constant criticism by students, especially when something tragic happens, as in the case of abiodun.
"Tears cannot curtail the shock as the student populace have received this sad news at a period where many are preparing to spend the festive season with their families and loved ones."
"It is unfortunate how the security of lives of members of the university community has been subjected so cheaply to criminals in town, where many landlords give less regards to the safety of student-tenants but only interested in the obnoxious profits from their rents."
"The Union has since warned and campaigned against the accommodation policy imposed on students by the university administration which drove many students away from campus residence to the gnashing teeth of criminals in town."
Issues of security and clamp down on students' unionism were also cited by the action commitee as reasons for the death of Abiodun.
"These situations are not also disconnected from the incessant clamp down on students' unionism by the current administration of the university. The clamp down on union activities on the campus has resulted in high level of insecurity almost everywhere."
"As at last year November, we recorded the murder of one Femi Omogboriwo at the university New Buka. Again, in previous semester, the university recorded high initiation of students into cultism, of which led to arrest of about a dozen of them, cultism is still fast encroaching the campus now. Also, barely two months now, we recorded the kidnap of a student at the university staff quarters."
However, ACJOAU recommended that the school should review the accommodation policy and pay serious attention to the issue of security.
"The association hereby recommends the university management to review her accommodation policy which has immensely exposed students to various and different insecurity threats making them victims of forceful initiation into cultism, rape and robbery."
"We recommend the university management through the security department to ensure that all the evil perpetrators are trailed and jailed."
"We recommend the management to invest in construction of more hostels for the students reducing the extortion of students living in town with the incessant and high rate of the house rent."
Meanwhile, as contained in statement issued by the University spokesperson, Abiodun Olanrewaji, the school management also condoled with the family of the deceased.
"The authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, have condoled with the parents and family members of a part three student of the Department of Accounting of the University, Abiodun Babalola, who died as a result of injuries he sustained during an attack in Adam and Eve, an out of campus students residential hostel, along Parakin – Ede road axis of Ile Ife.”
Students' groups in Obafemi Awolowo University have blamed the death of Abiodun Babatola, a 200-level student of the department of Management and Accounting, on the the school management.
Recall that Abiodun Babatola was attacked by armed robbers in the wee hours of Saturday, 22nd of December in his girlfriend's hostel. Eye witnesses had it that Abiodun could have survived if not for the negligent attitudes of the university's health centre and teaching hospital.
However, in the reports released by the Association of Campus Journalists, Obafemi Awolowo University (ACJ, OAU) and the Students' Union Action Committee, both blamed the management for the death of Abiodun Babatola.
The action commitee blamed the management as a result of the accommodation policy and the insensitivity to security. The accommodation policy adopted by the school management towards the end of last session has been a subject of constant criticism by students, especially when something tragic happens, as in the case of abiodun.
"Tears cannot curtail the shock as the student populace have received this sad news at a period where many are preparing to spend the festive season with their families and loved ones."
"It is unfortunate how the security of lives of members of the university community has been subjected so cheaply to criminals in town, where many landlords give less regards to the safety of student-tenants but only interested in the obnoxious profits from their rents."
"The Union has since warned and campaigned against the accommodation policy imposed on students by the university administration which drove many students away from campus residence to the gnashing teeth of criminals in town."
Issues of security and clamp down on students' unionism were also cited by the action commitee as reasons for the death of Abiodun.
"These situations are not also disconnected from the incessant clamp down on students' unionism by the current administration of the university. The clamp down on union activities on the campus has resulted in high level of insecurity almost everywhere."
"As at last year November, we recorded the murder of one Femi Omogboriwo at the university New Buka. Again, in previous semester, the university recorded high initiation of students into cultism, of which led to arrest of about a dozen of them, cultism is still fast encroaching the campus now. Also, barely two months now, we recorded the kidnap of a student at the university staff quarters."
However, ACJOAU recommended that the school should review the accommodation policy and pay serious attention to the issue of security.
"The association hereby recommends the university management to review her accommodation policy which has immensely exposed students to various and different insecurity threats making them victims of forceful initiation into cultism, rape and robbery."
"We recommend the university management through the security department to ensure that all the evil perpetrators are trailed and jailed."
"We recommend the management to invest in construction of more hostels for the students reducing the extortion of students living in town with the incessant and high rate of the house rent."
Meanwhile, as contained in statement issued by the University spokesperson, Abiodun Olanrewaji, the school management also condoled with the family of the deceased.
"The authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, have condoled with the parents and family members of a part three student of the Department of Accounting of the University, Abiodun Babalola, who died as a result of injuries he sustained during an attack in Adam and Eve, an out of campus students residential hostel, along Parakin – Ede road axis of Ile Ife.”
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