Students, Ila Community Protest Long Closure Of College of Education

Students of the Osun State College of Education, Ila, market women and youths of Ila community on Friday trooped out to protest the closure of the tertiary institution by workers.

The protest which lasted for two hours paralyzed commercial activities in the ancient town.

Students demonstrating at the protest.

Academic and non-academic activities had been halted since August this year following the face-off between the Governing Council, the school management and the workers of the college.

It was gathered that some sacked workers of the institution who were laid off in January have been holding the school to ransom, as they allegedly refused to submit the results of the students and release sensitive documents and material at their disposal.

However, the workers union has been calling for the removal of the chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Mr Oyeniyi Akande on grounds of alleged misappropriation of funds, saying that they would not resume their duties until the demand is met.

Speaking at the rally, the President of Students Union Government of the institution, Comrade Abdulmanan Adetunbi said: “We are here for mass protest against the closure of our institution. The people of Ila community have also joined us in this protest because the closure of the school is affecting them.

“The closure of the college is a setback to our future. Our precious time is rotten away. We are appealing to the Osun State Government, the Governing Council and the union to please open the school. The closure of the college is becoming unbearable to us.

“Our institution has been closed over two months ago and we are yet to hear anything about resumption. Governor Rauf Aregbesola should please save our hope, time and future. The college management and staff should please save our soul. Enough is enough!

“The closure of the college is as a result of the internal crisis and we are being made to suffer the crime we did not commit. The crisis is between the staff and the council. How could they allow the interest of 72 workers to affect thousands of students?”

A market woman who led market women to the protest, Alhaja Silifatu Akanni said traders in Ila were also affected by the closure of the college as their sales have dropped drastically.

Mrs Akanni said the traders received major patronage from students, complaining that their means of livelihood had been cut short as a result of the long closure of the school.

She appealed to Aregbesola to make a statement on the closure of the school, saying that the students should not be made to suffer the personal interest fight between the council and the staff.