No
fewer than six students were injured during a clash between some
students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on Sunday evening, Punch reports.
While some of the eyewitnesses described the fight as a power
tussle between students, who are loyal to the President of the Student
Union, Ibikunle Isaac, and those of Vice-President, Oladejo Olufunmi,
others described it as a cult attack.
tussle between students, who are loyal to the President of the Student
Union, Ibikunle Isaac, and those of Vice-President, Oladejo Olufunmi,
others described it as a cult attack.
It was learnt that the Education Rights Campaign members had just
concluded a meeting at the SU building Television room, when the fight
broke out.
concluded a meeting at the SU building Television room, when the fight
broke out.
Among those involved in the fight were some union executive
members, suspended students of the university, members of the Security
Committee of the SU and ERC members.
members, suspended students of the university, members of the Security
Committee of the SU and ERC members.
Some of the students, who suffered varying degrees of injuries, were rushed to the nearby hospitals for treatment.
One of them, Tedy, was allegedly pierced with a pointed object suspected to be a screw driver and another, David, was dealt a matchete cut on his head.
It was gathered that the door to the SU president’s office, where
some students hid, was broken while the occupants were thoroughly
beaten, leading to the injuries suffered by some of the students.
some students hid, was broken while the occupants were thoroughly
beaten, leading to the injuries suffered by some of the students.
There are however two sides to the cause of the fight.
While some of the students said it was as a result of ideological
differences, others inferred that it was related to the protest held
during President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit.
differences, others inferred that it was related to the protest held
during President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit.
Jonathan, traditional rulers and some politicians were at OAU for a
supposed conference, where Jonathan was endorsed ahead of the 2015
polls.
supposed conference, where Jonathan was endorsed ahead of the 2015
polls.
The campus fracas took a dangerous dimension when students of the school engaged themselves at the school gate with weapons.
Chief Security Officer of the university, Mr. Paul Ogidi, said there was no cult attack in the institution.
“It is true that our students fought. There was no cults attack on
our campus. We did not witness any attack but a fight among our
students,” he said.
our campus. We did not witness any attack but a fight among our
students,” he said.
But the Vice-President of the Students Union, Funmi Oladejo,
insisted that what happened on the campus could be likened to 1999 cults
attack that claimed the lives of students.
insisted that what happened on the campus could be likened to 1999 cults
attack that claimed the lives of students.
She denied the fight as being factional but hinted that the
controversy that surrounded the presence of President Goodluck Jonathan
on the university campus last Friday contributed to the cause of the
fight.
controversy that surrounded the presence of President Goodluck Jonathan
on the university campus last Friday contributed to the cause of the
fight.
She said, “I was to have a meeting at SUB yesterday(Sunday) around 6pm.
On getting there, I met a student, Sanyaolu Oluwajuwon, inside the
gutter, where he had been seriously beaten and I wondered what
happened. After a while, the injured students went to show the injury to
others and that enraged many students.
On getting there, I met a student, Sanyaolu Oluwajuwon, inside the
gutter, where he had been seriously beaten and I wondered what
happened. After a while, the injured students went to show the injury to
others and that enraged many students.
“Meanwhile, what started the fight, I heard, was that ERC were
having its meeting when the President and PRO passed through the place
and saw them. He then called his boys to start coming that some people
are having an opposition meeting at SUB and they all came to beat those
on the ground.
having its meeting when the President and PRO passed through the place
and saw them. He then called his boys to start coming that some people
are having an opposition meeting at SUB and they all came to beat those
on the ground.
“After beating them up, they ran away except Teddy that waited. We
later realised that those that ran to town went to hire ‘cults’, who
came with machetes. One of them (David) was even unconscious. We
eventually caught four of them. Two were students and two were
non-students. “
later realised that those that ran to town went to hire ‘cults’, who
came with machetes. One of them (David) was even unconscious. We
eventually caught four of them. Two were students and two were
non-students. “
When asked if the fight was connected to Jonathan’s visit, she
responded, “As far as I am concern, that is to mess up the whole issue.
They want to make it a partisan stuff and that is out of sense. Our
unionism is known to be independent and non-partisan. So, the case of
Jonathan’s visit was sardonic. They (Ibikunle’s faction) wanted to pay
back the opposition that greeted Jonathan’s visit and we should be a
check to bad government.”
responded, “As far as I am concern, that is to mess up the whole issue.
They want to make it a partisan stuff and that is out of sense. Our
unionism is known to be independent and non-partisan. So, the case of
Jonathan’s visit was sardonic. They (Ibikunle’s faction) wanted to pay
back the opposition that greeted Jonathan’s visit and we should be a
check to bad government.”
It was learnt that the two of the arrested people involved in the
fight were taken by students to the Awolowo Hall of the university,
while the security officials took another two students involved in the
fight.
fight were taken by students to the Awolowo Hall of the university,
while the security officials took another two students involved in the
fight.
The President of the Student Union, Isaac Ibikunle, told our correspondent that non of his loyalists were cult members.
He promised to call back to give his ‘full reaction’ after a
meeting expected to be held between members of the executive and
parliament today (Monday).
meeting expected to be held between members of the executive and
parliament today (Monday).
The Public Relations Officer of the union, Oludare Bamidele, wrote,
“It remains a sardonic issue that suspended students are beating
legitimate students on OAU campus right now. Is this intellectual
struggle? The act of dragging a security official to be beaten is an
affront to law and arrival of the hobbesian state of nature.”
“It remains a sardonic issue that suspended students are beating
legitimate students on OAU campus right now. Is this intellectual
struggle? The act of dragging a security official to be beaten is an
affront to law and arrival of the hobbesian state of nature.”
Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Sade Odoro, said those involved in the fight were not cultists.
She said, “OAU students truly fought and they were taken to police
station. The police counselled and released them after a while. There is
no secret cult thing involved.”
station. The police counselled and released them after a while. There is
no secret cult thing involved.”