In 2024, a whole lot of events took place on the Obafemi Awolowo University campus, both positive and negative. Some of these events and happenings had ripple effects across the campus, while some of them marked new beginnings for students who participated in them. In this article, we’ll take a look at 6 of these events.
1. Lion Killed Veterinary Technologist
On February 19th, a devastating news that Mr Olabode Olawuyi, a long-serving Veterinary Technologist in the University’s Zoological Garden, got killed by a lion got circulated on campus. It was explained that Mr Olabode was feeding the lions in their den when the incident occurred. In spite of the efforts of other staff members present to salvage the situation, the lion had already inflicted severe injuries that proved fatal. This particular incident caught the attention of the mainstream media as it was reported by various news outlets around the country. Also, it had ripple effects on campus as rumours were fast circulating that a lion had escaped from the zoo, and was at large. It eventually came to light that the claim was wrong, and the true story about what really happened soon circulated.
2. Rainstorm Collapsed Amphitheatre’s Roof and Led to the Injury of Students
On May 16th, a rainstorm collapsed some parts of the OAU Amphitheatre’s under-roof during an SER 001 – Use of English lecture, a core special elective course for fresh students in the University. The incident had some students taking the course severely injured as they were rescued and attended to by their colleagues who rushed them to the University’s Health Centre, but two of them were later referred to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital. Due to a lack of medical equipment, the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital further referred them to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex.
After this incident, Amphitheatre remained sealed off. Courses that utilized the venue as a lecture theatre had to find substitutes. Amphitheatre got renovated and was reopened during the 48th convocation ceremony that held in December.
3. The Undergraduate Students’ Summit 2.0
On Friday, the 17th of May, Experts, Speakers and Alumni members who have achieved significant success in their respective fields, converged on the Obafemi Awolowo University for the second edition of the Undergraduate Students’ Summit, where they shared their experiences with participants, as well as insights on how to excel post-graduation.
Convened by Damilola Mogaji, an Alumnus of the University, the conference was attended by nearly a thousand participants, majorly students of OAU.
With the theme “Shaping the Future: Positioning for Success Beyond Campus,” the event sought to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world demands, tackling graduate unemployment and unemployability head-on. Arguably, it equipped participants with the knowledge, skills and networks they need to thrive.
According to the organizers of this event, the future of Africa is on Campus, and thus, they are poised and dedicated to catalysing the future.
4. Four Months Break
After the second semester’s examinations in July, OAU students were given a 4-month break that would initially span from July through November. However, the resumption date was later revised as it was moved from the latter part of November to November the 4th.
Although quite a number of students complained about the break being too long, they could barely do anything about it. There were movements and comments made on the Great Ife Students’ Groups and on X, by students of the university about how discontent they were about the duration of the break, but nothing changed.
By and large, the new session began when the school’s management willed it to happen. While the said academic session is currently on, it doesn’t rule out the fact that the school has over time, elongated the time of its students on campus.
5. Students’ Union Election
The Great Ife Students’ Union elections took place in the latter part of June and saw the elections of members of the Central Executives Council (CEC), Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and Hall Executives Council (HEC). The election period on campus was filled with a whole lot of activities and events from vibrant campaigns by contestants to violence erupting on the day of the CEC election.
Eventually, Isaac Omoboriowo (Dr Bush) emerged with 3899 votes. Other CEC members who won and got inaugurated include; Christiana Odediji (Temitianah) – Vice President; Kinfeosi Babatimehin – Secretary General (first female secretary general of the Great Ife Students’ Union); Michael Omisore (Prof Mike) – Assistant Secretary General; Daniel Aka (Senator) – Public Relations Officer; Ikeoluwa Fajuyi (Faj) – Financial secretary; Timileyin Busari (S&T) – Welfare Director; Yusuf Tijani (ASAP) – Director of Socials and Culture; and Pelumi Oluwayimika (Da Great) – Director of Sports.
The emergence of the newly elected executives marked a fresh start for the union at large, with students hoping for a better leadership for the union, as opposed to what the previous administration made of the opportunity they had.
6. Increase in Accommodation Fee and addition of ₦30,000 Acceptance fee to Freshmen’s tuition
Few weeks before resumption, the newly elected Students’ Union Executives made public, a release explaining that the management called them to a meeting and stated that they were planning a 50% increase in tuition and a 100% increase in accommodation fees. The Students’ Union Executives stood against this and they were able to halt the school fees increment plan. Nonetheless, the accommodation fee was increased to ₦50,000 for all students from ₦30,000 and ₦25,000 for freshmen and stalites respectively last session.
Up until the 2021/2022 academic year, the accommodation fee used to be ₦3,090. The move of increasing the accommodation fee has raised questions of what the funds are basically for, because no changes can be seen in the halls of residence.
More still, ₦30,000 was added to the freshmen’s tuition as acceptance fee. This was not expected as freshmen only got to know about this at the point of making payments on the school’s portal.
What other major events did you experience on campus this 2024 that were not included on our list? How did they shape your overall campus experience? Tell us in the comments!
