Yabatech Students’ Congress uses the medium to congratulate the Great Ife Action Committee and the entire mass of OAU students over the favourable court ruling irreversibly passed down to grant freedom to the OAU 5 who were unjustly victimized and sent to Kosere Prison for standing against all forms of oppression from the school management, meted out to students. The way and manner this merit-lacking case was struck out due to lack of diligent prosecution is an indication that the powerless conscience would always prevail and be at all times justified irrespective of repression, victimization, death threats and prison sentences.
We commend the firm resolve and collective gallantry of the Action Committee, as they ensured the mass picketing of the Ajebamdele Court during the trials. The efforts of ANSA, ERC, human rights lawyers, other civil society groups and NANS ZONE D proved pivotal to the success of this struggle
Marching forward, we lend our voices to demand the unconditional activation of the student portals of the affected OAU5 by the student affairs unit. Whom the law has discharged and acquitted, is free and free indeed.
We also demand the immediate and unconditional restoration of the student status of Omole Ibukun, Jacob Tosin and Oluwalade Babatunde who are currently under suspension.
We condemn the high-handedness of tertiary institution administrators who are always quick to serve rustication and expulsion letters to students who present logical and superior arguments to issues that affect their living and learning conditions on campus. We call on the Senate and House Committees on Education in the National Assembly to address this disturbing development that is fast becoming prevalent particularly in institutions in the South West.
We also demand forthwith the reinstatement of the final year law student in the University of Ibadan who was suspended for writing an article questioning the rationale behind the needless spendings of the university administration. We call for a wide spectrum of engagements and mobilization in solidarity with the affected student.
We demand the unconditional reinstatement of the Student Unions controversially proscribed in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ibadan (UI), Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) and other institutions in the Federation who have suffered this attack.
Conclusively we felicitate with the entirety of Muslim students on the occasion of the Eid-El-Fitri celebration. We clamour for tolerance, national peace and progress across board.
Struggle continues until victory is ascertained! Solidarity!
Signed:
YABATECH STUDENTS’ CONGRESS
