AND OTHER ANTI-STUDENTS’ POLICIES
UNILAG authorities’ actions are draconian and despotic
Press Statement
The decision of the Senate of the University of Lagos to dissolve
the executive and legislative arms of the University of Lagos Students’ Union
(ULSU) for leading students’ protests against poor welfare conditions and high
cost of goods and services of campus is draconian and despotic.
This decision is an assault on the freedom of association and
other democratic rights. That the University of Lagos is dissolving ULSU less
than 2 years after it was restored following over one decade of proscription is
a sign that intolerance has continued to rule the hearts and minds of members
of the University management.
The ERC hereby demands the immediate restoration of Students Union
activities and a halt to every other attack on the democratic rights of
students.
We also condemn the decision to make all students and their
parents sign undertaking and indemnity forms which are meant to frighten
students from ever daring to fight for their rights. On the undertaking form,
there is what is called a “re-absorption oath” which students must sign and get
notarized as preconditions for admittance into halls of residence and
examination venues. Through the Parents indemnity form, parents and guardians are
to be held liable for whatever supposed misdemeanor is committed by their students.
We demand an immediate reversal of these draconian measures.
Meanwhile, all of these crude measures only go to show how lawless
the University is. For instance, the word “re-absorption” is unknown to
University laws. A student resumes into a University after an holiday or a break.
If a student was expelled or rusticated, after careful consideration of his/her
appeals by the Senate, he or she could be reinstated. Nor is there anything
called a “re-absorption oath” in the University system. All undergraduate and
postgraduate students of Universities and other tertiary institutions are
required to swear upon admission is a matriculation oath. After this, there is
no other oath that students are required to swear in the course of their
academic programmes.
All what the university is doing is simply to manufacture all
kinds of quasi-legal measures to keep students enslaved and unable to defend
themselves against the university’s anti-poor polices. Such draconian clampdown
on freedom of expression was the hallmark of military despotism in Nigeria. They
have failed before and will fail again.
We call on staff unions in the University to oppose all of the
draconian measures being taken by the University to clampdown on students.
Otherwise, once the University authorities are through with students, it would
soon pounce on staff unions. Indeed all UNILAG alumni and Nigerians who cherish
freedom and democratic rights must rise up to condemn these despotic decisions.
Instead of clamping down on students, we call on the University to
address the legitimate demands of the students.
Lest we forget, these issues which caused the students’ protest of
the 6th and 7th April 2016 were the extremely difficult
conditions of learning to which students were subjected as a result of poor
electricity and water supply, academic injustice ranging and high cost of goods
and services which has earned UNILAG the toga of the most expensive campus in
terms of cost of living. Indeed these are issues for which members of the Prof.
Rahamon Bello-led management of the University of Lagos should be investigated
for dereliction of duty and incompetence.
But the University of Lagos is a University that has absolutely no
regard for its students. Rather than respect for divergent views and due
process, impunity, exploitation and oppression are the hallmarks of the
University. Recall how a couple of months ago the same University arbitrarily
denied over 100 pre-medical students from proceeding to the College of
Medicine. Now without making any attempt to address students’ demands, the
management has declared open the University and fixed commencement of
examinations for the 9th of May, 2016. Up till now, questions raised
by students during the protests as to the whereabouts of the additional two
diesel-powered generators remain unanswered. Instead, the University says on
its website that it could only “endeavor to provide electricity in the various
halls of residence between the hours of 7.00 pm and 7.00 am daily. The
boreholes in the hostels would continue to provide water supply to the hostels
until normal supply from the Lagos State Water Corporation resumes”.
This means students will have to write examinations under
conditions unfit for learning. This is a recipe for mass failure. We charge the
institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other staff
unions not to allow a situation where students are coerced to write
examinations in conditions that will definitely cause mass failure.
This is the time for the unions to come together in solidarity
with students by organizing actions like strikes and protest to demand that
basic municipal services are functioning adequately and for the dissolution of
ULSU and other undemocratic attacks to be reversed.
Hassan Taiwo Soweto Michael Ogundele
National Coordinator
(07033697259) National
Secretary
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