The management of Obafemi Awolowo University has ordered an immediate three-week mid-semester break following widespread student protests that disrupted activities on the campus.
The decision, approved by the institution’s Senate, came amid escalating demonstrations by students over transportation difficulties, welfare concerns and persistent delays linked to the university’s e-portal upgrade.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, said the closure became necessary after protests degenerated into the blocking of major access roads within and around the campus.
He noted that the situation posed serious safety risks to members of the university community and other road users.
“The University Senate has approved that students proceed on a mid-semester break for a period of three weeks with immediate effect,” the statement read.
“The protests led to obstruction of major highways and harassment of road users, raising concerns about the safety and well-being of staff, students and the public.”
The management added that the break would provide an opportunity for engagement with relevant stakeholders and help restore normalcy on campus.
The protest, organised by the Students’ Union, saw large numbers of undergraduates march across the campus, demanding urgent intervention in what they described as worsening living and learning conditions.
Key among their grievances were delays in accessing academic services due to the ongoing e-portal upgrade, transportation bottlenecks following the introduction of a new system, and accommodation-related issues.
The students had earlier resolved at a congress to embark on a peaceful protest, insisting that the action would continue until their demands were addressed.
Part of the resolution indicated that demonstrators would occupy major roads and entry points into the university.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the transport crisis worsened after the introduction of compressed natural gas-powered buses for intra-campus movement, which students said resulted in long queues and extended waiting hours.
The buses were reportedly introduced following a donation by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, as part of efforts to improve mobility within the institution.
However, students argued that poor implementation of the system compounded existing challenges and triggered the mass protest.
Authorities have urged students to remain law-abiding during the break while dialogue continues to address the issues raised.
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