Students of the University of Ibadan, on Wednesday, halted academic activities in protest over prolonged electricity and water outages in the institution’s halls of residence.

The demonstration followed ongoing industrial action jointly undertaken by members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), which reportedly left students struggling with basic necessities such as water and electricity for bathing and cooking.

Peoples Gazette gathered that the demonstration began at the Independence and Nnamdi Azikiwe Halls of Residence before students mobilised to disrupt academic activities across some faculties.

The students also obstructed vehicular movement along Oduduwa Road, the main route connecting the university’s campus gate to other areas within the institution.

Speaking to the Gazette, a 500-level female student of the Faculty of Law, who pleaded anonymity, explained that the students’ demonstration was triggered by the lack of water and electricity, as well as lecturers’ continued insistence on holding classes despite the inconvenience experienced.

“This protest is long overdue. We have not had light for four days now due to NASU being on strike. There is no water to bathe, no light to read and some of our lecturers are still forcing us to go to classes. It is not fair,” the protester said.

“We can’t go on like this. And even the Dean of students is here trying to quell the protest. Where has he been when we were suffering without light and water?” she added.

Another participant, a Pharmacy student who preferred to be identified as Jasper, said the students’ demonstration was aimed at demanding a halt to academic activities as a sign of solidarity with the aggrieved workers and to denounce the impact of the ongoing strike on the student community.

“It is important to clarify that the students’ displeasure is not directed at NASU or SSANU. Rather, the students are making a simple but rational demand that since NASU is expressing its grievances through a strike action, ASUU should, in solidarity with their fellow workers, suspend academic activities as well,” Mr Jasper stated.

“The reasoning is straightforward. Students currently have no electricity to charge their devices, no running water to meet their basic hygiene needs, and they are being asked to function under conditions that are frankly untenable.”

“The students are not asking for too much. They are simply asking that those in positions of authority demonstrate genuine solidarity and acknowledge that learning cannot thrive where basic amenities have collapsed,” he said.

A statement signed by Temidayo Adeboye and Joshua Shontan, the president and general secretary of the union, respectively, on Wednesday afternoon, stated that the ongoing workers’ industrial action has resulted in an unbearable situation and deterioration in students’ living conditions.

The union said the decision of the workers’ unions, including the closure of the University Health Centre (Jaja Clinic), has made the institution unconducive for both human habitation and academic activities.

“The leadership of the Students’ Union has closely monitored the deteriorating situation on campus resulting from the ongoing SSANU and NASU industrial action. As it stands, the living conditions in our halls of residence and across campus have become unbearable,” the statement said.

“With the total blackout, lack of water supply, and the closure of the University Health Centre, the environment is no longer conducive for human habitation, let alone academic excellence,” it stated.

The union declared that all academic activities would be suspended until further notice, stressing that students’ prevailing conditions have made learning impossible.

“In light of these hardships, the Union hereby announces that all academic activities (classes and tests) are suspended until further notice. It is practically impossible to learn while we are deprived of basic necessities. We cannot continue to act as though things are normal while the student body suffers,” the union stated.

When contacted, the university’s public relations officer, Adejoke Akinpelu, questioned the students’ agitation, noting that the management had made some concessions.

“SSANU and NASU are on strike. Do they expect things to be normal? What is their agitation? That there is no light. When there is no light, there will be no water. It is light that they would use to pump water. If there is no light, there will be no water. What do they want the management to do?” Mrs Akinpelu said.

The school’s spokesperson claimed that the workers’ industrial action also disrupted academic activities, noting that lecturers have been unable to attend classes due to the closure of offices and lecture venues.

“Most lecturers are not coming because there is nobody to open the offices and the lecture rooms,” she said.

Mrs Akinpelu stated that the university management has made efforts to pacify the students and provide generators for two hours earlier in the morning as an alternative power supply.

“The Dean of Students was with them yesterday, he pacified them. Today he was with them. He went everywhere they went this morning. He addressed them. It is not like the management is leaving them to themselves,” the spokeswoman stated.

“This morning we have to put on the generator to power the hostels. Two hours in the morning, I am sure light has been supplied now. For those two hours, two generators consumed 1,600 litres of fuel,” she said.

Earlier, on Friday, May 1, the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) embarked on an industrial action to decry the federal government’s delay in concluding the renegotiation of a 2009 agreement.

The unions, however, in a development on Wednesday, May 6, announced their decision to suspend the ongoing nationwide strike, effective Monday, May 11.

A circular signed by NASU general secretary and SSANU national president, Peters Adeyemi and Mohammed Ibrahim respectively, stated that the latest decision followed a crucial meeting with the federal government’s Expanded Renegotiation Committee, which was led by former Head of the Federation’s Civil Service, Yayale Ahmed.