Students of Osun State University on Thursday staged coordinated protests in four campuses of the university in Osogbo, Ikire, Ejigbo and Okuku simultaneously over payment of N10,000 as late registration fees which was imposed on students who did not pay school fees at the given period. 

In Osogbo, the students locked the university gate and prevented the staff from gaining access to the campus. The students boycotted lectures and insisted that they would not allow academic activities on the campuses unless payment of late registration fees is jettisoned.

While the protests were going on at the four campuses of UniOsun, the students of the College of Law, Ifetedo campus held a dialogue with top officials of the university on their campus to seek amicable resolution of the matter.  

The Chairman of Student Joint Campus Committee (SJCC), in UNIOSUN, Mr Ohamara Victor Chinedu and General Secretary, Yusuf Muis Oluwakayode urged the university management to waive the N10,000 late registration charge because of the current economic hardship in the country.

But the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Labode Popoola in a telephone conversation with Daily Trust correspondent said those students protesting are blackmailers and liars.

The VC advised the serious students to remain calm and focus on their studies.

“It is a global practice that if a student fails to register on time, he would pay late registration fees. Most of the student wouldn’t want to pay the school fees and they would not pay for registration. Yet, they would want to be recognised as our students and that is not tenable anywhere in the world.”

“We have explored necessary mechanisms to make the students do the right thing on this matter. I had several meetings with student leaders. The Pro-Chancellor of the university, Malam Yusuf Ali (SAN) also met them. Yet, those students remained adamant and we cannot continue like that”, Professor Popoola explained.