FOR THE RECORDS:LASU CRISIS

AS LASU RESUMES FULLY, STUDENTS UNION EXCO-ELECT ARRESTED AND DETAINED

No Amount of Intimidation Will Deter US in the Struggle for the Reversal of LASU Hiked Fees

Today Thursday 27 March 2014, four members of the newly-elected Executive of the Lagos State University Students Union were arrested in the University premises and detained at the Ojo Police Station. Their names are Comrades Nurudeen Yusuf Temilola (a.k.a Optimist) who is the President-elect, Adesanya Temidayo Joseph who is the PRO-Elect, Adetunji Adetowo who is the Welfare Director-Elect and Adisa Idowu Ridwan who is the Social Director–Elect.

They were democratically elected on January 20, 2014 by students. However due to the closure of the University on January 23 2014 as a result of students protest, their inauguration was delayed. However now that the University has resumed partially since February 24 and is due to resume fully on Monday 1^st April 2014, students resolved to inaugurate their democratically-elected leaders today 27 March 2014. However while waiting at the venue of the inauguration to be administered with the oath of office, a team of Campus Marshals led by the Acting Chief Security Officer Captain Adeyinka swooped on them and whisked them off to the Police Station.

We condemn and deplore this Gestapo-styled manner with which the Prof-Obafunwa-led University Management relates with students. We recall that it was this same highhanded style of the Management which relies more on State orchestrated violence rather than diplomacy and understanding that turned what started as a harmless protest of students on the morning of 23 January 2014 into a full-scale riot. We are worried that Prof Obafunwa has again started beating the war drums just as hope is rising that Lagos State University (LASU) may be able to put the unfortunate crisis of January behind it and move on to run a smooth academic session devoid of rancor. We ask the public to take note of this as this is how Management often brews crisis in the University through provocative actions meant to force students to react angrily.

The arrest is an attack on students right to independent unionism. Students elected their leaders, they have the right to swear-in their leaders anytime and any day they deem fit. The Vice Chancellor’s responsibility is to run the University in such a way that it is able to fulfill its core mandate to the academic community and society. Prof. Obafunwa’s responsibility does not include meddling in the affairs of students including how they run their union. We therefore demand that Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola immediately calls the Vice Chancellor to order.

If the latest attack was meant to dissuade students from continuing the struggle for the reversal of hiked fees, then the University Management and State Government are in for a surprise. No amount of intimidation will stop the movement to make Lagos State University (LASU) affordable and accessible to children of poor working and middle class Nigerians.