ASSOCIATION OF CAMPUS JOURNALISTS,OAU.
PRESSROOM:BLOCK 2 TOPMOST FLOOR,FAJUYI HALL.
Email:acjoau2015@gmail.com
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THE SUSPENSION OF STUDENTS' UNION: OUR POSITION

It came to our notice as a rude shock that the Obafemi Awolowo university Management has directed the suspension of the biggest students union in sub Saharan Africa. While we will not love to bore you with rhetorics, we have gone through the press release by the Management and it is on record that no reason was given for tthe decision.
We are therefore forced to attribute the suspension to recent happenings on OAU campus. Among these possible reasons which we feel might have motivated this submission by the University's own management are as follows. However, we feel these reasons are cogent but not ample to spuspend he activities of the Union.

1.THE ALLEGED MOLESTATION OF PROFESSOR Y.K YUSUF
As regards the alleged molestation of Professor Y.K Yusuf, we believe that the intervention of ASUU and other top management staff is enough to die the matter down. Shutting down activities of the Students' Union is equal to shutting down activities of 35,000 great Ife students.
If Prof Yusuf alleged molestation is among the reasons for pseudo proscription of he students union, we believe the decision could be revisited especially when this alleged case is currently under investigationby ASUU

2. THE RECENT LECTURE BOYCOTT AND PROTEST
Some few days ago, Obafemi Awolowo university students embarked on a "peaceful" protest to agitate improved welfare. There have been allegations that facilities in halls of residence are dilapidated and need immediate attention.
We believe that the rights to peaceful assembly and that of expression are mbedded in the Nigerian constitution of 1999 (as amended in 2011). Therefore, while students of OAU have expressed their constitutionla rights, they should be commented for their consciousness. It should be recorded that similar actions as these took place in some other Nigerian Universities- Unilag, UI, Lautech, etc and it did not amount to the suspension of their Students' Union activities. No properties belonging to the university or private individuals were destroyed in the process of the lecture boycott and protest.

3. THE BEATING OF A PUBLIC BUS DRIVER FOR ALLEGED STEALING
Recently, it was revealed that a commericla bus driver from Ife town was seriously beaten by the security committee of Great Ife Students' union for allegedly stealing of stusents' valuables. While we cannot strongly ascertain whether or not the matter surrounding this issue was properly investigated despite the claim by the Union that the said driver had once been paraded for theft, the Association of Campus Journalists, OAU feel that this issue may not be enough a reason for an abrupt suspension of the Students' Union activities

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
1: On Prof Y.K Yusuf versus Students' Union saga, the Association recommends that the Management of the Obafemi Awolowo university allow ASUU carry out the investigation and at the end, the issue be settled amicably as even fathers and their wards do clash once in a while.

2. On the lecture boycott and protest, we recommend that the university mangament should not punish or proscribe OAU students' Unio based on this act in recognition the provisions of the Nigerian constitution.

3. On the public bus driver, we recommend that students union security unit be investigated and those found guilty in the molestation of the said driver be dealt with accordingly. Never should there be a reason why 35,000 great Ife students will suffer for the alleged misdeed of some few persons as this ' misdeed' is not in furtherance of interest of Great Ife students.
4. Since NASU protested some few months ago for the wellbeing of their members among other issues and the body did not receive any jab from the management, the Students' Union should therefore not be suspended for fighting for the interest of the entire Great Ife sthdents since both bodies are recognised pressure groups which should be availed the free hand to thrive.

Adebayo Benjamin
ACJ President

Olaoluwa Joseph
ACJ Gen Sec.

Omole Isaac
ACJ P.R.O.