Stakeholders of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall have issued a formal memo in response to the disciplinary measures taken against two students, Aduwo Ayodele, a 400-level student in the Department of History, and Mide Gbadegesin, a 700-level student at the Institute of African Studies.
The memo, released on Tuesday, July 15th, called for fairness and justice against the four-semester suspension handed to the students.
“As stakeholders of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, we believe that a university must protect the right to dialogue, dissent, and peaceful advocacy,” the statement reads. “It is within this spirit of academic freedom and shared responsibility that we express our solidarity and specifically call attention to the recent disciplinary actions taken against Aduwo Ayodele… and Mide Gbadegesin…”
The stakeholders urged the Students’ Union Executives, Students’ Union Representative Council, Council of Faculty Presidents, and Council of Hall Chairpersons to probe further into the matter.
“We therefore urge our elected student leadership… to look into the matter with the utmost impartiality and care, and to ensure that, in all fairness, justice is done,” they said.
The memo ends with a strong plea for fairness and a reconsideration of the disciplinary measures.
“Let us demonstrate through this act that our student governance values open dialogue, respects the right to peaceful advocacy, and upholds the principles of equity that define our community.”
This is coming on the backdrop of Monday’s SDC verdict against two student protesters which many have interpreted as a victimisation of students who were involved in a peaceful protest.