By: Sakeenah Kareem
When Awoyemi Michael, a student at the Institute of African Studies, joined the sea of protesters on the night of July 16, 2024, he did it not only to stand against oppression but also to fight against the system that robbed his brother of his dreams. Micheal’s younger brother had gained admission to study Computer Science at the University of Ibadan but couldn’t pursue it because of the recent hike in tuition fees. And that was the motivation Micheal needed to lift his placard and join others who shared in his despair.
The frustration among the general student populace had been simmering for months, as they struggled to cope with the ever-increasing financial burdens imposed by the university administration. The spark that ignited the flames of protest was a memo announcing the rationing of electricity on campus to 10 hours a day. It was the final straw in the long list of grievances that included exorbitant accommodation fees, miscellaneous charges, and the burden of tuition fees. The students of the University of Ibadan had had enough.
As the protest began, it was clear that it was no ordinary demonstration. The protestants had resolved not to back down until their demands were met. The consistent attack on student welfarism via unfriendly policies had forced the student to resort to protest as their last card. “Education must not be taken away from the common man and any attempt to do this will make me join a protest a million times”, said Olawale, a 300-level student of communications and language arts.
The university management’s response was a mix of subtle concessions and evasion. They debunked the electricity memo, claiming it was not authorized, and made the General Studies textbook optional. However, the core issue of the fee hike remained on the fence, and this has left the students with a sense of unease and a determination to continue their fight.
A History of Silence and Suppression
The University of Ibadan has a history of suppressing student dissent. In 2017, students took to the streets to demand the issuance of student ID cards, which had been delayed for months. The protest ended in chaos, with the then-president of the students’ union, Ojo Aderemi, suspended and the student union suspended indefinitely.
Since then, the university administration has maintained a tight grip on student activism, often using subtle tactics to suppress confrontation. Thus, the students have been forced to navigate the complex web of rules and regulations designed to stifle their voices and limit their ability to organize. But the current protest affirms the will of the student to defy this web and break free.
Aweda Bolaji, the students union president, commended the ability of the students to protest peacefully and be mature in the face of frustration. “To sustain the momentum of the protest, we need a collective effort. We, the student union, will ensure that resolutions are enforced, and the students can help us by holding their end of the bargain and reporting issues to us when necessary,” he added.
A Cry for Help
As the protest continued, the students began to realize that their fight was not just about the fee hike or the electricity rationing but about the university’s administration as a whole and the reality of public tertiary education.
The University of Ibadan protest is more than just a local issue – it is a reflection of the state of education in Nigeria. The commercialization of education, the neglect of public universities, and the prioritization of profit over people have created a system that is stacked against students. The protest is a cry for help, a desperate plea for the government and university administrators to recognize the value of education and the rights of students.
As Michael further noted, “The university management’s response to our protests shows that they are not interested in the welfare of students. They are only interested in making money. This is a reflection of the larger problem in Nigeria, where education is seen as a business rather than a right.” The University of Ibadan protest is a representation of the struggles faced by students across Nigeria, and it highlights the need for a fundamental transformation of the education system.
In the end, protest is not just about winning concessions or reversing policies – it is about reclaiming the right to free education, and fighting for a future where education does not become luxury.
