The University of Ibadan is one that dwells in its achievements, hence, reinforcing its standard with history. Whether the University has grown better over the years or not is not the focus of this article. The University remains the First and the best in the country regardless. But of the things that have become history that repeat themselves almost every session, we should look at two main issues that students face.
The Accommodation Situation
On the 21st of January, the Senate approved January 30 as the resumption date and orientation for freshmen was slated for January 31 to February 2, 2022; lectures were to commence fully on February 3, 2022. Three days after, on January 24, a document signed by the Dean of students, Prof I. A Abiona titled “Procedure for Securing Accommodation in the Halls of Residence (2021/2022 Academic Session)” was circulated on students’ groups.
The document showed that the payment portal for fresh students will be open from 24 January to 28 January 2022, however, as at Monday, February 7, the portal was still open for fresh students to pay.
In the same document, it was stated that “Final year students and other eligible returning students will be expected to secure their accommodation by paying Accommodation Fees between 31 January (when the portal will be open to them) and 3 February, 2022” however, the portal of students in this category was not opened to pay for accommodation until the evening of Tuesday, January 8, 2022.
This should not be as lectures were supposed to have commenced fully by 3rd February, even though some lecturers commenced lectures on Monday and others will not until next week. It is noteworthy that the new Vice-Chancellor seems to be taking things faster, however, the tardiness in the accommodation process of the university is not new and there have been cases where students—not in the first or final year (stalites)—have to wait till up to the sixth week before fully settling in their halls of residence. Note that this is usually the period continuous assessment tests are conducted and “tear a sheet of paper” becomes a dreadful statement. We hope this does not become the case this session.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the management has said only vaccinated students will get accommodation this session and if this might be the reason for the slow process to ensure the safety of all students allowed into the HoR, one cannot say. However, what is important is that students that do not get accommodated into their HoR should not bother complaining to anyone as the management has repeatedly emphasized its concern for safety and also ensured vaccines are available for all members of the university community. Students should also do well by using their nose masks (recall that these were shared in all halls last session) and using hand sanitizers
The Basic Dues Struggle
Payment of basic dues has always been a topic of interest in the university. In 2015, the Students Representative Council once set the basic dues at N2000 and as the only compulsory dues but a number of faculty presidents wrote a petition to the Students Affairs Division and the dean then, Professor Ajuwape, annulled the SRC resolution saying it had no such power.
Fast forward to 2021, the basic dues was at N2500, still, halls and faculties made all dues compulsory for fresh students. The former UI SU President, Olusegun Akeju, and the Dean of Students, Dean, Professor I. A Abiona, had waded in to warn that only the basic due should be made compulsory.
At the beginning of the 2021/22 session, due to complaints of low-quality packages in the 2020/21 session and the rate of inflation in the country, there was an agreement among the Council of Faculty presidents, Council of Hall Chairmen/Ladies, the Students Representative Council, and the Dean of Students, to increase the basic dues and cap it at N3000, and the dean warned that no extra fee should be made compulsory nor should a fee be charged for the Freshers’ Orientation.
To evade this order, some students leaders seem to have devised a gimmick to include extra charges by charging Five Hundred Naira (N500) extra for freshers’ orientation, while they tag it Frehers’ Week or Freshers’ Welcome as seen in the Faculties of Agriculture and Education
In one of the faculties, such programme as Freshers vs Stalites match—was added as part of the Freshers’ week. But common sense tells us that any activity done to orient fresh students into the respective jurisdiction—hall, faculty, or department—is also a form of orientation and no fee should be charged as the dean has directed.
It Is Required; Not Compulsory
Another gimmick some student leaders are playing is most likely gotten from our course form and transcripts. The other dues such as dinner and shirts required for freshers with an “R” in parentheses meaning required.
According to the oxford dictionary, the word, required, is an adjective that means officially compulsory, or otherwise considered essential; indispensable. To drive this home better, we use an example we all see in the famed “book of life.” If a course is required, a student is obligated to pass that course else they may be withdrawn from their faculty to another (erosion) or from the University entirely (tsuanmi). This gimmick by student leaders shows poor understanding of how synonyms and related words work.
The argument of these Students leaders may be that how will they run the association effectively if it seems to be doomed with a paucity of funds from the beginning. All we have to say is that: I understand their standpoint but I will not invalidate it though embezzlement still happens in this paucity.
In all, we understand the university is a microcosm of the country and strive towards better, clearer, and smoother processes for students and the citizens of our country.
