OAU Alumni Association calls for reinstatement of students’ union

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife Alumni Association, has called on the management of the institution to reinstate students’ union activities on its campus.

President of Mr Wale Olaleye, made the appeal at the OAU Biennial Global Alumni Convention on Saturday in Ile-Ife.

He described students’ unionism as an incubator for progressive politicians and virile administrators in the world.

It was reported that OAU management had in 2017 suspended activities of the union on the argument that it had plunged the school into incessant protests.

Olaleye, however, said that students union remained a viable platform for youths to acquire leadership skills.

Our correspondent further reports that Olaleye on Saturday emerged as a global president of the association at the convention.

He noted that notable politicians as well as human rights lawyers in the country were products of students unions during their days in school.

“Some strong politicians and the human rights lawyers are product or members of students’ union executives during their times as students, in the campuses,” he said.

Olaleye stressed that the alumni were in talk with the university management on how the activities of the union could be brought back.

He expressed optimism that the engagement of the association with the management would be fruitful and the union would be resuscitated.

Olaleye assured that the association would also continue to support indigent students and the less privileged within the university community.

He said this was in line with the association’s resolve to support their Alma mater.

“We will introduce an alumni subscription fee to support the indigent students and the less privileged within the university community,” Olaleye said.

He further stated that the association would not relent in its quest for the university to attain a status of world-class citadel of learning.

In his remarks, the Vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. Eyitayo Ogunbodede, urged tertiary institutions to position themselves as part of solutions to societal challenges through innovation and research.

Eyitayo encouraged academics and the alumni body to leverage local talents and scale up their activities to build better society through knowledge-based approach.