Enraged students of the Lagos State University (LASU) yesterday took their protest over astronomical hike in school fees to the doorsteps of Governor Babatunde Fashola. The protesters, who shut the Governor’s Office, asked Fashola to make a categorical statement on the new tuition fee.
The students, who changed their protest tactics and strategies, practically turned the Governor’s Office to a carnival ground as they cooked and danced to the music supplied by DJs in their vehicles numbering about 13.
They said next Monday was too long for Fashola to make a categorical statement on their demands, especially on reduction of the tuition fee which they said was too high for many of them to pay.
The students argued that the scholarship promised by the government could not go round. The protesters, who stormed the office in luxury buses, dared security personnel attached to the Governor’s Office. They cooked beans and barricaded the main gate of the office. Some Muslims among them observed their prayers on the road while some female students were busy cooking. They set up stones and firewood for cooking right in front of the main entrance of the office, while others played scrabbles on the road leading to the office.
Speaking with NT Metro, the President of the Students Union, Nurudeen Yusuf Temilola, who described the ‘show’ as a peaceful demonstration, said the protest was meant to call the state government to action. Temilola said the students could no longer condone the procrastination on the reduction of the tuition fee.
He said: “The peaceful demonstration is aimed at telling the governor that we can no longer wait to hear a reduction in our school fees; we want him to make a pronouncement now. It should not take him 10 years to do so. ‘Soon,’ ‘very soon’ is an ambiguous language that we cannot take anymore. “We will resume very soon. We want to know how much we will pay before our resumption.
That is what we are saying. They promised us June 9; that is too long for us. Let them make a pronouncement on time. “Why are they procrastinating? We want to know what we want to pay now. We have met with the governor on several occasions. We have discussed with him.” Temilola alleged that police fired life bullets at the protesting students at Oshodi on Tuesday.”
On his part, Speaker of the Students’ Union, Balogun Ahmed, said most parents could not afford the high fee. He said: “It is pertinent to know that fee we pay is too high. So, we want to know from the governor now, the exact money we are to pay.
“Some of our colleagues have dropped from school because of the hike in fees. Lagos pays N3,000 minimum wage and the government wants sons and daughters of these people who earn this money to enrol in LASU.” Ahmed said that parents who did not have the opportunity to steal public fund could not afford LASU fees.
He added: “Imagine parents who have two or more children in the school. What will they do? Where will they get the money? Not every parent has access to public fund.”
Meanwhile, speaking earlier with our correspondent on the protests, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba, and his Transportation counterpart, Kayode Opeifa, said the protests were masterminded by some people in society. They argued that the students’ union leaders were acting in contrast with their agreement in a series of meetings held with the government.
They wondered why they embarked on protests when efforts were being taken to resolve the crisis. Eight students of the university were on Wednesday charged before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court after being arrested for an alleged violent protest on Tuesday. The arrested students were accused of hijacking a LAGBUS bus, P004, with registration No. SMK 719 XK, property of the Lagos State Government
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The students, who changed their protest tactics and strategies, practically turned the Governor’s Office to a carnival ground as they cooked and danced to the music supplied by DJs in their vehicles numbering about 13.
They said next Monday was too long for Fashola to make a categorical statement on their demands, especially on reduction of the tuition fee which they said was too high for many of them to pay.
The students argued that the scholarship promised by the government could not go round. The protesters, who stormed the office in luxury buses, dared security personnel attached to the Governor’s Office. They cooked beans and barricaded the main gate of the office. Some Muslims among them observed their prayers on the road while some female students were busy cooking. They set up stones and firewood for cooking right in front of the main entrance of the office, while others played scrabbles on the road leading to the office.
Speaking with NT Metro, the President of the Students Union, Nurudeen Yusuf Temilola, who described the ‘show’ as a peaceful demonstration, said the protest was meant to call the state government to action. Temilola said the students could no longer condone the procrastination on the reduction of the tuition fee.
He said: “The peaceful demonstration is aimed at telling the governor that we can no longer wait to hear a reduction in our school fees; we want him to make a pronouncement now. It should not take him 10 years to do so. ‘Soon,’ ‘very soon’ is an ambiguous language that we cannot take anymore. “We will resume very soon. We want to know how much we will pay before our resumption.
That is what we are saying. They promised us June 9; that is too long for us. Let them make a pronouncement on time. “Why are they procrastinating? We want to know what we want to pay now. We have met with the governor on several occasions. We have discussed with him.” Temilola alleged that police fired life bullets at the protesting students at Oshodi on Tuesday.”
On his part, Speaker of the Students’ Union, Balogun Ahmed, said most parents could not afford the high fee. He said: “It is pertinent to know that fee we pay is too high. So, we want to know from the governor now, the exact money we are to pay.
“Some of our colleagues have dropped from school because of the hike in fees. Lagos pays N3,000 minimum wage and the government wants sons and daughters of these people who earn this money to enrol in LASU.” Ahmed said that parents who did not have the opportunity to steal public fund could not afford LASU fees.
He added: “Imagine parents who have two or more children in the school. What will they do? Where will they get the money? Not every parent has access to public fund.”
Meanwhile, speaking earlier with our correspondent on the protests, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba, and his Transportation counterpart, Kayode Opeifa, said the protests were masterminded by some people in society. They argued that the students’ union leaders were acting in contrast with their agreement in a series of meetings held with the government.
They wondered why they embarked on protests when efforts were being taken to resolve the crisis. Eight students of the university were on Wednesday charged before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court after being arrested for an alleged violent protest on Tuesday. The arrested students were accused of hijacking a LAGBUS bus, P004, with registration No. SMK 719 XK, property of the Lagos State Government
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