UISU: Stalemate as Congress fails to reach an agreement on accommodation fees, other issues

By Shamusudeen Kareem

On Monday, 24th May, students’ leaders gathered at the Students’ Union Conference Hall for a Congress to deliberate on the issue of accommodation fees which surrounds the reopening of hostels for the remainder of this semester and second semester, as well as the physical resumption of students.  The Congress is the highest decision-making body of the Students’ Union.

Although, the University said it has not made a final agreement on these issues, but students’ leaders privy to the decisions of the management have said it strongly considers them—especially as an Implementation Committee has been set up to look towards the visibility of these plans. The Deputy Dean of Students, Dr. Demola Lewis, would later confirm this development.

The President of the Students’ Union, Comrade Akeju Oluwasegun, intimated the Congress on the issues to be addressed. He said the University would only accommodate 50% capacity in halls of residence, when hostel reopens and the fee—even when it’s for a few weeks of the first semester and the remainder of the session—stays at N30000. According to him, if the university management takes a lesser amount than that, it would run at a loss, considering the cost of implementing the Covid-19 protocols at Halls of Residence.

Nnamdi Azikwe Hall Chairman Person, Mr Sebastian who spoke at the congress, said students’ leaders need to “look for rational ways to tackle the management. Students have never won anything against the management.”

What followed this are concerns from other stakeholders on whether the University would truthfully adhere to taking in 50% capacity even when the students pay the full amount and why the Congress should consider the possibility of making the management accepts atleast 80% of the actual amount which is N24000.

Olasunkanmi Yusuf, Kuti Hall Chairman, believes N30000 is a fair bargain. “If the management decides to take back the offer (of reopening hostels), students will be blamed. The 50% allocation takes a high number of students away from Agbowo. I believe it’s a very fair bargain.”

Orimoloye Emmanuel, Lord Tedder Hall Chairman, said students paying N24000 is fair enough. He asserted that the students would still have to pay for Hall dues—whether they like it or not. “There are other expenses that will be incurred by students that stay in the hall and I believe the 50% number of occupants is not achievable.”

Akindele Alli, the speaker for Quantum Leap Students’ Association (QLSA), complements Yusuf’s stance of the justification of paying N30000, considering the insecurity going on off-campus. “Anyone that stays off-campus knows he is not safe to an extent,” he said.

There were further reactions and counteractions on whether the students would be able to pay the full amount, looking at the current economic hardship and the possibility that the university would increase the accommodation fees by next session.

While this was going on, Comrade Akeju, announced the presence of the Deputy Dean of Students, Dr Demola Lewis, and left the decision of whether he should or not be allowed in in the hands of the Congress. The Congress voted for Dr Lewis to speak with them.

In his statement, Dr Lewis appealed to the students to reason along with the management and not “fight for the wrong cause.” He said the failure of the Federal Government to own the federal universities financially caused the spike in the fees the students have to pay. He appealed to the students to calm their nerves. “Imagine if there is a protest tomorrow, what happens next? One virtual announcement and the school is shut. That’s it. And then we go through the cycle of how many months? And then, its going to be upon us again…”

He added that the university is sincere and not trying to deceive anybody, adding that the Senate would revisit the amount of money to be paid for accommodation.

Present at the Congress was the Special Adviser on Students’ Affairs to the Oyo State Governor, Mr. Oloyede Victor. He called for the togetherness of the students in achieving their aims.

A motion was then raised to confirm the acceptance or otherwise of the Congress on the 100% accommodation fee. Although, calls that such motion should not be made when the Senate is yet to revisit the fee did not hold water. Nine congress-persons voted for the full amount to be paid, while 30 voted for that 80% of the total amount should be paid. Some did not vote at all.

A decision was not eventually reached, however.