By SIKIRU AKINOLA, OAU, Ile-Ife

STUDENTS of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) have urged the management of the institution to re-instate the Students’ Union Government (SUG) which it proscribed last year as a result of students’ 48 hours protest against increase in tuition fees.

The protest, which  led to closure of the institution for about  3 months, led to the suspension of Fredrik Joel (President), Nelson Benjamin (Secretary General), and Oluseyi Adegoke (Speaker) for a semester, while Olawale Ogunruku was allegedly de-registered from the institution e-portal for participating in the protest.

Despite the alleged break down of  law and order in the university, the once radical Students Union has remained silent. Investigation gathered by Quadlife revealed that the students have been divided along ideological divides:  some students want a hitch-free academic calendar while others are ready to protest at the slightest provocation.

Some of the students held that the relative peace in OAU can’t be attributed to the security consciousness of the university administration, but the team spirit of the students of the 50 year old institution.

For these students, the proscription of the Revolutionary SUG signaled the end of relative peace in the institution.

Many believe that OAU is no longer safe for students and wonder if cultists are planning to invade the sacred campus as they did in 1999, when the 21 year old former Secretary General of OAU Students Union, George Iwilade alias (AFRIKA) and four others were butchered by men of the black axe confraternity.

A student, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: “The authority ‘systematically’ divided the students because what we fought for was legal, historic and normal.”

He observed with regret the attitude of some comrades whom he referred to as ‘management boys’,for betraying the students’ struggle.

Isaac Ibikunle, 300 level law student said “We have learnt our lessons but the authority, as a matter of urgency needs to restore our Union as it is the only platform that can be used to address the numerous security challenges. And as we are preparing to host the NUGA Games and 50 years anniversary celebration, no amount of security personnel can control the excesses of the visitors from other universities except with the students’ collaboration. The restoration of our Union is very vital.”

Condemning the usual method of confrontation used by OAU students when fighting for their rights, a 200 level student advised them to embrace dialogue rather than force.

which will not yield any positive result. She urged them to come together and build a cordial relationship with the university authority.

She however, appealed to the Governing Council, through the VC, Prof. ‘Tale Omole to quickly restore the union which produced Femi Falana, Tunde Okeowo, Michael Bamidele, Yinka Odumakin, Bamidele Aturu and the likes.