How OAU's 12,000 student increase strains lecture halls, hostels and tests

Agbele Oluwatofolafun

For months now, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has grappled with overcrowding as its record student intake, reportedly nearing 12,000 new admits, pushes lecture halls, hostels and testing facilities to breaking point. While expanded access brings more students to campus, many say the growing population is eroding learning conditions and welfare.

Lecture venues across faculties overflow daily, forcing students to stand by windows, sit on floors, or listen from outside. Classes often get postponed, merged, or shifted to inadequate spaces when halls fill up.

Ola, a Part 3 Mass Communication student, described the chaos in Agric LT, their main venue. "There are over two hundred students in our programme. People squeeze themselves beside others, they sit on the staircase, and even at that you'll still see some people standing. But na because say we no get choice sha. Other lecture halls are either being used or maybe they are even smaller than this one, who knows?" she said.

Off campus living adds fresh burdens. With limited on-campus hostels, many seek private rentals where prices have spiked amid demand. A 200 level Chemistry student, speaking anonymously, highlighted the toll of distance and poor study conditions at home. "Some nights I come to campus to read overnight, but after the stress of moving back and forth, I'm already tired. There are days I can't continue reading and just have to leave," he explained. Power outages and distractions make focused preparation nearly impossible during tests.

Computer based testing (CBT) centres face similar overload. Tighter schedules and heavier use lead to delays, technical glitches, and long queues outside ICT halls. A female Part 3 Chemistry student recalled a recent ordeal. "It was stressful! The ICT told us to come by 1pm, so I got there at 12:40 pm alongside my mates. Upon our entrance into the ICT building, we were still not able to enter the halls until 2:30pm. Apparently, there were still some students using the computers in the hall, and some of the computers had issues, so they took a long while in there," she said. Her group finished quickly, but only because fewer students followed.

Rent prices rise from less housing space. Landlords blame repairs and more people wanting rooms. The ripple effects strain everything from note taking in packed halls to late night commutes for study.

Observers agree higher intake expands opportunity but demands urgent upgrades, infrastructure, lecture spaces, digital facilities, and hostels to safeguard standards. Without matching investment, OAU risks turning growth into a barrier for effective learning.