From Darkness to Protest: University Of Ibadan Students Demand Action

The prolonged lull in the deplorable state of things has finally been broken. Over two months have passed since the University College Hospital was plunged into darkness, forced into "social distancing" from electricity due to the exorbitant debts and tariffs of over 380 million naira owed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company. Prospects had looked bleak for the students living in Alexander Brown Hall. A week-long boycott of academic activities and subsequent negotiations yielded promises and settlements, but these fell through as they were unsustainable “temporary solutions”. The promises remained castles under construction floating in the clouds. The only brief respite from the darkness occurred when the hospital was reconnected a day or two before an accreditation and promptly disconnected immediately after. That break from black nights lasted merely four or five days. 

As of January 13th, the 73rd day of the blackout, the Student Union’s open letter was sent. Hopes were not so high about the open letter yielding tangible results. However, on January 21st, day 81 of the blackout, news of a planned protest at the Government secretariat sparked a surge of excitement. Whatsapp groups buzzed with encouragement, urging those who were around to show up and castigating those who would bury their heads. Door-to-door “recruitment” efforts were made to mobilize more Brownites, as initial numbers were underwhelming. 

The protests were hybrid, with participants gathering both physically, at the Alexander Brown Hall, UCH, and the University of Ibadan. Students from UI were transported by the Aluta bus to the University College Hospital main gate, the designated take-off point. Clad in black tops and nose masks, the protesters marched to the Oyo State secretariat and then to the Federal Government secretariat, Ikolaba, starting as early as 7:00am. The protest also garnered immense social media attention, amplified by graphic designs and video clips. Led by the Student Union president, Bolaji Aweda, the demonstration was peaceful, with police officers and Operation Burst personnel present to ensure the safety of students, prevent violence, and regulate traffic. Various news channels conducted interviews at different points during the protest. 

The protesters returned after Oba Adedire Solomon, Head of Building at the Federal Secretariat, Oyo State, promised that power would be restored between January 22 and 25 and that the power supply would not be cut. However, students were skeptical, finding his tone overly confident. When pressed for a more specific timeline, Solomon reiterated that power would be restored “between now and Friday," without providing further details on the duration of power supply per day. The fact that there is another accreditation exercise scheduled for next week has sparked speculation, that the power might be restored temporarily, just like it was during the previous accreditation exercise. 

Oba Adedire’s promises might be genuine, and he might have behind-the-scenes knowledge that validates the rumours. At the same time, the protesters are right to be cautious given the history of unfilled promises. The protesters have given Oba Adedire a grace period until Sunday and promised to return if their demands aren't met. This marked the end of a four-hour protest advocating for the liberation of federal hospitals and health centres from electricity outages and the restoration of quality healthcare to Nigerians. 

A statement from Kehinde Omotoso, President of the Unibadan Association of Dental Students, expresses hope in the promises made and encourages all stakeholders to see the process through to resolution.

In the statement, Omotoso says: "It was great to see students from both halls of residence (ABH & AFPGH) and supporters from the University Of Ibadan, come out in large numbers for this worthy cause. The UCH community has endured perpetual darkness far too long. Previous consultations with relevant authorities yielded little results, and we've been pushed to the wall. These living conditions are inhumane, and change is necessary. If the only way to bring about change is through a direct demonstration to the general public and government parastatals, so be it. I want to believe that the promises made to us at the Federal Secretariat in Oyo State were made in good faith and will be kept. We've been promised that electricity will be restored to UCH on or before Friday, and plans will be made to ensure its stability. After waiting 82 days without electricity,  I believe we can wait two more days. It's my hope that this matter will be escalated to the highest government level, as news channels covered the protest. The Head of Building, who made these promises, was informed that failure to restore electricity, would result in our return to the Federal Secretariat next week. We student leaders collectively thank the student populace for their perseverance and for ensuring the success of a peaceful demonstration. We pray this marks the beginning of better times for UCH, and other tertiary hospitals."

As we await the outcome of today’s events, we must acknowledge and appreciate the Student Union's support despite its delayed arrival. However, we must remember, that our challenges are far from over. Even if today's promises are fulfilled, the ongoing academic strike by the University of Ibadan branch of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria(MDCAN), sparked by payment structure discrepancies, continues. The last meeting ended in an impasse, and the strike has continued since December. 

We urge students to take care of themselves and rest well. The days are coming when we shall stand before our consultants again. Unity and persistence remain our strongest tools in the fight for lasting change. 

Dentatics Press