The management of obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife has ordered students to vacate campus tomorrow.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the University PRO, Abiodun olarewaju and forwarded to DAILY GIST on Friday evening.
Recall DAILY GIST had reported how a female student of the university died on Thursday evening after being denied treatment at the University Health centre before giving up the ghost.
The student identified as Adesina Aishat Omowunmi, DAILY GIST gathered until her death was a 400L student of Foreign Language.
The students of the institution who gathered in Large numbers protested at the University campus gate over the incident.
The protesting students were demanding a complete restructuring of the health centres, working emergency department, adequate medical facilities, hiring nurses and doctors who treat cases as a matter of urgency, amongst other demands to prevent future occurrence of student death.
The protesting students had blocked the Ife/Ede/Osogbo road Infront of their Campus as well as the Ife /Ibadan expressway causing heavy gridlock on both roads at the moment.
However, the university management in a new circular sent to DAILY GIST on Friday evening has ordered students to vacate campus tomorrow(Saturday)
The statement reads in full;
MANAGEMENT CLOSES DOWN OAU, ASKS STUDENTS TO VACATE HALLS OF RESIDENCE.
On Tuesday, 28th September, 2021 ADESINA Omowumi Aishat, a 24-year old, female, Part 4 student of the Department of Foreign Languages reported to the Health Centre with signs and symptoms of a severe infection. She was promptly treated with some drugs prescribed and asked to report back as an out-patient. She reported back to the Health Centre in the morning of Thursday, 30th September, 2021. Upon examination, she was referred to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital for further management where she regrettably died on Thursday 30th September, 2021.
A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that the Management understands the grief resulting from this untimely death within the community and sympathises with the parents, friends, colleagues and the entire students of the University on this sad loss, and prays for the repose of her soul.
However, Management condemns in strong terms the continuous and uncontrolled protests by the students culminating in unbridled brigandage, blocking the Ife/Ibadan and Ife/Ede highways and other adjoining roads that could be used as alternative routes, and engaging in other acts that are detrimental to their health and the safety of the generality of the people.
Therefore, having exhausted all necessary avenues to call the students to order and allow normalcy to return to the Campus and its environs, the authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, have accordingly closed down the School until further notice. This is to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
In view of this, all students are hereby directed to vacate their halls of residence and the Campus latest by 12:00 noon on Saturday, 2nd October, 2021.
Consequently, the swearing-in of the newly elected Students’ Union officials has been put on hold, pending a review of the situation.
In the meantime, the University management has put in place the machinery to unravel the circumstances surrounding the immediate and remote cause(s) of the crisis.
