From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The senate of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, has ordered an investigation into the protest embarked upon by students of the university recently and give back the report within two weeks.
The students had staged a protest on October 1, following the death on September 30 of Adeshina Aishat, a 24-year-old final year student in the Department of Foreign Language.
They blamed the personnel of the school’s health clinic for the death of their colleague and barricaded major roads in protest.
The university management subsequently suspended activities and directed the students to proceed on vacation till further notice, to forestall the breakdown of law.
However, a statement issued by the Registrar of the university, Mrs Omosule MI, and made available to newsmen on Wednesday by the Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju, stated that the senate at an emergency meeting held on Tuesday, October 5, reviewed the situation on campus and directed immediate investigation into the students’ actions.
The statement reads:
‘Senate expressed sadness over the untimely demise of Miss Omowumi Aishat Adesina and commiserates with the family on the loss. Senate thereafter observed a minute silence in her memory.
‘Senate unequivocally condemned the students’ action in its entirety and frowned at the blocking of the Ife/Ibadan and Ife/Ede highways and other adjoining roads.
‘The Senate commended the Vice-Chancellor and the entire Management on the prompt and pro-active decision to suspend students’ activities stressing that precious lives could have been lost if actions had been delayed. It, therefore, affirmed its support for the decision taken by Management that students should vacate the campus and their respective halls of residence and that the swearing-in of the newly elected Students’ Union officers be put on hold.
‘Furthermore, Senate mandated the University Management to set up an independent committee to look into the immediate and remote cause(s) of the student’s protest to prevent any future occurrence. The Committee is to submit its report within two weeks.’