This is to inform the University community that there was an Emergency Meeting of the University Senate on Tuesday, 30 May, 2017 in the Senate Chamber where all matters relating to the students' protest of Monday, 29 May, 2017 led by the President of the Students' Union Executive Council, Mr. Aderemi Ojo, which disrupted public peace were exhaustively discussed.

The Vice-Chancellor briefed Senate on the background to the recent students’ crisis.

Background to the Current Crisis
The Students’ Union Executive and the Students’ Representative Council for the 2016/2017 Session were sworn in at Trenchard Hall on Monday, 8 May, 2017. In delivering his Acceptance Speech, the new President left no one in doubt of his agenda viz-a-viz confrontation with the University Management. In particular, he said inter alia:

Also, our ladies are being denied of their right to use electrical appliances (hotplates) in their halls of residence. *Chapter 6 of the Student Information Handbook under the heading ‘’Electrical Appliances’’ Paragraph (i) acknowledged the use of electrical appliances in the kitchenettes. As from today, ladies, go to your halls of residence and use electrical appliances (hotplates) in the kitchenettes. If anyone stops you, report to the Union, we promise to be responsive to salient issues.

A ‘Congress’ was convened by the leadership of the Students’ Union without seeking permission of the Dean of Students’ Affairs on Saturday, 27 May, 2017, at the Students’ Union Building. The resolutions at the ‘Congress’ were as follows:
(a). That two days ultimatum be given to the University Management to constitute the Students’ Welfare Board.

(b). That fact finding committee be set up to look into the issue of the use of hot plates in Halls of Residence

(c). That ‘No ID Card, no Examination’

(d). That the scheduled programme of Oyo State Government at the International Conference centre (ICC) to be chaired by the Governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, be disrupted.

(e). That the Sango/UI/Ojoo highway be occupied and blocked.

(f). That all Faculties, Lecture Rooms and the Centre for General Studies be locked.

Management has tried to explain to students the challenges with delay in production of their Smart Identity Cards. The new chip-based smart ID card has multiple functionality as it can be used for identification, access control, attendance system, library facility usage, login access to computers, payment for services, e-learning and medical information storage.

The Management met with leadership of the students union on Sunday 28 May 2017. An appeal was made by the Management that the students should give peace a chance.

On Monday, 29 May 2017, a group of students led by Ojo Aderemi, President Students’ Union, went round the Halls of Residence and Faculties to mobilise students for demonstration. Meanwhile, there were reports from the Campus Security Service that the demonstrating students led by their President, Ojo Aderemi, broke the glass door of the office of Dr Ojuawo of the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science. The Lecturer who was in the office at the time of the incident also alleged that he was harassed by the demonstrating students.

The demonstrating team eventually took off from the Students’ Union Building at about 10.00 hours and went straight to the Main Gate of the University and then blocked the Ojoo-UI-Oyo Road. A free flow of traffic was totally grounded. Commercial activities in the area were also grounded. The Oyo State Commissioner of Police arrived the scene and took time to plead with the students to vacate the highway but the students refused to yield.

There was a real threat to live and property and possible hijack by hoodlums and other miscreants from the neighbouring Agbowo community.
While the protest was going on, the Vice-Chancellor tried to monitor the situation. He got in touch on phone with the Commissioner of Police...........
http://ui.edu.ng/news/suspension-activities-students-union-executive-council-suec-and-students-representative-council

seen.