UI students plead with VC for two weeks break

The students of Nigeria’s premier university, the University of Ibadan, are pleading with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Adewole, to allow them go home for two weeks.
A source at the university, who requested anonymity, said the students have been clamouring for the break to allow them prepare properly for their first semester examinations.
The source said the executive of the Students’ Union Government had written a letter to Adewole last month that they were in dire need of the break to prepare for their examinations.
He was, however, said to have expressed surprise at their request.
The source added that the SUG executives, led by their new President, Babatunde Badmuswe also went to the VC’s house and pleaded that they were under pressure from students to make the request as most of them are yet to settle down for the new session.
A student, who gave his name as Banji, said: “We need two weeks to go home.
“When we came for the new academic session in January, we had issues with the management over hostel accommodation.
“They told us not to cook and this did not go down well with the students.
“Some of us had to look for alternative places off campus and this took time.
“Also, some got their accommodation very late in the hostels while others are still roaming and hanging about.
“All these issues affected us and we have not read enough for the exams.”
A staff of the university however disagreed with the students.
The staff, who requested anonymity, said: “These students are just lazy.
“They have time to watch Champions League football matches but they refused to study.
“Some of them just want to go home for the fun of it because they feel the VC is lenient.
“Can you imagine that the students were dancing and rejoicing when they heard rumours that academic staff wanted to go on strike?
“In short, they were the ones behind the rumour.
“These students are just lazy.”
UI has been in a pensive mood since the decision was taken by the school’s management enforcing laws banning cooking in halls of residence.
The VC, according to a reliable source, has however soft peddled on that directive as he has allowed the students to bring their kerosine stoves for personal cooking.
The VC’s decision to allow kerosene stove, the source said, is due to the erratic electricity situation on campus.