By Sogo Oladele
DSM OAU Branch
The
students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, numbering about 5,
000, trooped out on 20 May 2014 to protest the astronomical
increment of fresh students’ fee from N17,000 to about N80,000, (excluding the
acceptance fee of N20,000) and the proposed increment of old students’ fee. Though,
the management has issued a statement that the old students would not be
affected by the fee hike, the Students’ Union leadership claimed to have seen a
document at a meeting with the management that shows the plan to increase the
fee from N10, 000 to about N50, 000.
After a
period of illusion in urging the university management to reconsider its
stance, reality of the need to struggle eventually dawned on the students’ union
leadership, which has declared for a struggle against the vicious increment.
After the failed dialogue, the union president convened for a congress of
students, in which Action and Publicity Committees, headed by union leadership,
but having representatives of the congress (including members of Democratic
Socialist Movement (DSM), were set up. Before now, our comrades and the
organization have been the arrowhead of the campaign against the fees. The
organization had called, in its various statements, on the union leadership to
call student congress and declare struggle. In fact, Education Rights Campaign
(ERC), a platform where our comrades are playing leading roles, issued the first ever leaflet against the fees. Aside this, the DSM and ERC members have been very active in this struggle.
Consequent
upon the resolution of the Students’ Union Congress on 19th May, students
embarked on a protest march to Ife town on Tuesday, 20 May 2014 to register
their displeasure and mobilise popular support. Students marched to the Ife/Ibadan
Expressway where stranded travellers showed solidarity and understanding on the
demands of students. For instance, a parent rained curses on the university
management because her two daughters just gained admission into the university,
and paying the fees has become nightmare for the family. Even, rank-and-file of
the police force, expressed some tactical solidarity, showing the class
character of the issue. However, this does not mean that the same police
officers will not be used to attack students and workers when the movement
subsequently. This shows the nature of the armed forces in a capitalist
society. During the protest, students distributed some leaflets, and educated passers-by.
The ERC leaflets were also exhausted.
 |
| OAU students on a protest march in Ile-Ife town |
The
protesters thereafter moved from the motorway to Ife township, where the
leadership of the union addressed the representatives of the Ooni of Ife, the
paramount king in the town, at his palace. The gathering proceeded to the local
radio station in Ife, where the union leaders granted interviews to journalists.
The movement eventually terminated at the Sabo market in the town
The
protest and message of the students actually struck a chord with the mass of
working and poor people in town, who expressed visible anger against serial
attacks on working and poor people by governments and their representatives
like Prof. Tale Omole-led OAU authorities.
In
continuation of the struggle, the union has planned to go to markets in the
town to enlighten and mobilise the support of traders and artisans against the
fee hike. Also, the union has also planned to picket the corporate headquarters
of banks to stop them from collecting the fees.
Ultimately,
the latest attack on right of students to education in OAU has further
underscored the fact that the Nigerian ruling elite is incurably anti-poor and
bankrupt. It is ironic that just five months after the ASUU (Academic Staff
Union of Universities) secured a yearly subvention of N200 billion for
universities, the Nigerian government, through its agents in universities will
still be thinking of increasing fees. This is in a country where 70% of the
population live below poverty line while the national minimum wage of N18, 000
is hardly implemented by any government across the country. Previous hike in
fees in the Lagos State University (LASU) has turned the university to a ghost
of itself. Yet, the OAU authorities are embarking on the same ruinous path that
will spell doom for students of poor and working class background.
We in
the DSM call on workers, students and parents across the country to give
solidarity to the struggle in OAU, which is being used by the Federal
Government as a laboratory for full commercialization of education across the
country. We call on all staff unions, especially in OAU, ASUU, NASU, SSANU and
NAAT, to come out against the ruinous policy of the OAU authorities and with
solidarity actions in support of students. We also call on Nigerian students’
movement, especially, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D,
to organise mass solidarity actions in support of the struggle.
We call
for protest text messages and petitions statements against the fee increase to
the authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, through:
The Vice Chancellor,
Tel: 08037211502
E-mail: taleomole@yahoo.com
You can
send copy of your message and petition to the:
ERC
national secretariat,
Tel:
07033697259
And
President,
Students’ Union
Tel: 07063875335
Email:
ibikunleissacm@yahoo.com
