CACOL SLAMS OGUN GOVT

<>PRESS RELEASE<>

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has
condemned in strong terms the police brutality and
the inhumane treatment of some students of Olabisi
Onabanjo University who protested the draconian and
obnoxious policy of the Ogun State government and
the university management.
The students had organised a peaceful protest to resist
an attempt to make education inaccessible to the poor.
The university authority, even to the past
administration of Prof Aare Wale Olaitan allowed
flexible fee payment pattern for indigent students,
however the current Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof
Saburi Adeyemi without adequate notice that the
policy that encouraged instalment and suspended
payments would be abolished, decided that students
that are yet to pay school fees would not be allowed to
write examinations.
Reacting on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive
Chairman Debo Adeniran censured the Ogun State
government for its sadistic and anti-poor people
educational policy.
"We wonder why some ACN governors who rode on
the back of the masses to power could become so
monstrous overnight. School fees are hiked without
recourse to plight of the average Nigerians yet the
students are not expected to react, if they do the next
thing is for government to release its security
personnel after them. Every responsive and
responsible government listens to its people, they do
not just talk down without expecting reaction. Ogun
State government should reverse this sadistic and
anti-poor people educational policy that is capable of
running the future of thousands of students into untold
jeopardy. We learnt that about 5, 000 students are
affected, our question is what does the government
stand to gain if those students fail? It is a well known
fact that instalment policy is the most appropriate in a
country like ours where most are living below poverty
Line. This is the only way to put university education
within the reach of the poor and the disadvantaged
Nigerians,"Adeniran stated.
Speaking further, the human rights activists
condemned the arrest of some leaders of the
institution's students union and demanded for their
immediate release.
"The quelling of the peaceful protest of the Ogun State
University students is like killing an ant with a sledge
hammer! Opening fire and throwing canisters at
harmless students is highly condemnable. As well-
meaning Nigerians, we demand immediate release of
the arrested students and call on Ogun State governor
to address this seeming aberration".

Abimbola Adegoke
Media Officer, CACOL
23 May, 2013