‘We were rusticated for raising Placards’ – UI Students speaks out as Amnesty International demands Reversal

By Thank-God Adeoye-Oke

Two students of the University of Ibadan (UI), Aduwo Ayodele, a 400 level student of History department and Mide Gbadegesin, a 700 level student of African Studies, have been rusticated for four semesters following a peaceful protest against fee hikes.

In an interview with The Lagos Voice, Mide Gbadegesin described the action as “unjust and unreasonable,” calling it “a non-democratic verdict.” He said the protest was peaceful and constitutionally backed, aimed at demanding affordable and quality education.

What happened

According to him, the disciplinary panel lead by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Adebowale’s hearing lacked fairness. “The system was never designed to deliver justice or any semblance of justice. Courts admit evidence and witnesses there was nothing of such during the proceedings,” he said.

Furthermore, Mide Gbadegesin expounded on how requests for legal representation and presentation of visual evidence were also denied in the Students’ Disciplinary panels.

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Following the ultimate penalty and direction given by the University of Ibadan management, The students were barred from campus and suspended from student union activities during the rustication.

Mide also added on the situation; “It is not just that we have been victimized. We have been isolated. All this for just raising placards.”

Aduwo Ayodele, one of the rusticated students, also questioned the fairness of the process, while speaking to Lagos Voice stating: “The verdict is not anything acceptable on the basis that the office of the Vice-Chancellor cannot charged us for this and at the same office is the judge and the jury of the matter. In respect to that, rule of law is obviously in doubt from reception to the very last piece of this matter.”

He also criticized the university’s student union, saying it had become an extension of the management and the mouthpiece of the University.

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Despite this, some members of the Student Representative Council (SRC) have shown support. The SRC’s fairness and equity committee released a memo describing the disciplinary action as “uncalled for.”

In a recent development, Amnesty International Nigeria addressed a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, calling for the reversal of the suspension. Amnesty cited violations of constitutional rights to free expression and peaceful assembly, urging the university to reinstate the affected students.

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Amnesty International further called on the University to allow Aduwo, Mide, and Nice Linus another protester whose verdict remains pending to continue their studies and to “desist from victimizing the three students.”

Till press time, The University of Ibadan management has yet to issue an official response to the general public.