Agitation on fees reduction not politically motivated – Students

From Alice Ajakaye, Lagos

Students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), in Ogun state, have said their agitation for reduction of their tuition fees has no political undertone.

The students, while addressing a press conference in Lagos, OOU Students Union Government, SUG President, Ifade Olusegun said claims of the government that the students were been sponsored by opposition parties are unfounded and illogical.

Ifade indicated that in this part of the world, when government does not do the right thing, it dwells on excuses to justify its attitude, “that is why they are saying the struggle of OOU is politically motivated, it is not and it will never be, that is why we are never going to rest on this issue until we achieve our aim because education is a right and not a privilege.”

The SUG President said the students were only asking the state governor to fulfill promises made to them during his electioneering campaign in 2015.

Ifade noted that the students’ demand for reduction of fees not exceeding, maximum of 50,000 per academic year from the Ogun state government will not change. “The students are very much united to fight this struggle until our demands are met”, he stated.

Also speaking, OOU SUG vice president, Ogunbiyi Abimbola Seliat said rather than make good the pronouncement on our demands, the government announced the closure of our institution, saying that they were being sponsored by opposition parties.

‘’Since 2011 more than 3,000 students have dropped out from the school because of exorbitant fees”, Seliat said.

The students however tasked the governor on the immediate re-opening of the institution, proper funding of the university and reinstatement of over 3000 drop-out students of the university.