Breaking: UI students protest fee hike and introduction of 10-hour electricity supply

Early this morning, a wave of furious students at the University of Ibadan took to the streets, blocking all entrances to the campus and effectively shutting down academic activities. Both academic and non-academic staff were locked out, as the students moved from faculty to faculty to ensure a complete halt to classes.

“Enough is Enough!” – Students Rally Against Unfair Treatment

The students, who prohibited any video recording of their protest, expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the university administration. Speaking with Vanguard, they cited three major grievances that drove them to protest:

1. Injustice and Insensitivity: “The authorities are proposing power cuts, meaning we’ll be left in darkness on some days. How do they expect us to study?” lamented one male student.
2. Astronomical Fee Hikes: “They’ve increased our fees to unaffordable levels. Our parents can’t keep up, and even feeding ourselves is tough. We can’t take this any longer,” another student added.
3. Victimization of Protesters: “Some of our colleagues were arrested for protesting last time and are still detained. They’re punishing us for speaking out against injustice,” one protester explained.

Exorbitant Tuition Fees Push Students to the Brink

Female science students voiced their particular struggles, noting the drastic fee increases. One student reported her fees skyrocketing from N78,000 to over N300,000. “We can’t afford this,” she said, a sentiment echoed by many others.

Power Rationing Sparks Outrage

The protest was further fueled by a new policy limiting electricity supply to just 10 hours a day. A memo from the Director of Works, Engineer O.A. Adetolu, outlined the schedule: six hours during the day (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and four hours at night (10 p.m. to 2 a.m.). This decision, coupled with the fee hikes and additional levies, has incensed the student body.