Olorunfemi Adeyeye, a suspended 400-level student of the University of Lagos has demanded for re-activation of his student portal after spending the 4-semester suspension melted against him.
He also called on the university management to improve the welfare conditions on campus and lift the suspension placed on the union.
The management of the institution rusticated Olorunfemi for four semesters after being accused of criticising the management over a Facebook post titled ‘The Senate of UNILAG: A conglomeration of academic ignorami” was believed to have earned rustication for four semesters- approximately two academic sessions.
He berated university authorities in private and public institutions across the country for suspending student leaders unjustly, repressing holders of critical opinions and clamping down on activities of students’ union on campuses, alleging it ‘is gradually becoming a culture in Nigeria’.
While expressing his displeasure over his inability to access his portal after sending series of appeal letters for intervention and review, Adeyeye in his statement said: “I was invited to a panel and thereafter suspended unjustly for four Semesters for writing an article on my Facebook timeline.
“Till this moment, my student portal remains under lock and key and there has not been any hope towards activating it from those in charge due to reasons unknown to both me and members of the Public who have been following the whole sage.
“A belated letter of re-admission after serving more than 4 semesters was addressed to me. This letter should have been sent since the beginning of the 2nd Semester in June 2018 but was sent 3 days to the end of the Semester”.
He further said: “Let it be in best interest that the issuance of this statement isn’t construed as a Save My Soul signal but a call to save the future for collective good. Staring us at the face are issues of under-funding of the Education sector and misappropriation of the paltry allocated.
“Till this moment, students still live in fear and lack on their own campuses – from issues of insecurity to poor welfare. The issues raised remain unattended to by the Authorities.
“What needs to be saved is the Nigerian educational system that has been led by characters who are bereft of ideas on administration, management, conflict resolution and even scholarship.
“These deficiencies, inadequacies and inabilities have had a lot of effects on the total build-up of young people of my generation. Or what regard could one say has been accorded scholarship when the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor and Principal Officers is based on political, ethnic and religious affiliations?”
He however disclosed August will be another phase of civic engagement and intense civil disobedience of all forms until the stated demands are met.
