Ondo State students tell Governor Akeredolu to reduce exorbitant tuition fees or resign

GOVERNOR Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has been told by students from three universities to either reduce the exorbitant tuition fees his administration has levied on them or resign from office.

Since the beginning of this year, Governor Akeredolu has been involved in several skirmishes with university students in Ondo State as his increasing of school fees has created tension. Earlier this month, Danielson Bamidele, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, said that since Governor Akeredolu assumed office, he has been introducing obnoxious policies capable of derailing the state from the education excellence it is known for.

In April, Ondo State's Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA) at Akungba-Akoko was shut down after students staged a protest to oppose a recent decision of the school's management to bar those who could not pay their fees to sit for their examinations. Now, the situation has escalated further as students from AAUA and Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, converged on Akure, the state capital, yesterday, to press home their demands for a reduction in tuition fees.

Barricading the popular Oba Adesida Road in Akure metropolis, the students partially disrupted commercial activities during the protest. During the protest, vehicular movement and commercial activities were paralysed for hours as commuters were forced to trek to their destination.

Some of their placards has signs which read: "Akeredolu Reduce or Resign” “No Reduction, No Resumption” Education Must Be Free” and “Say No To N250,000.” AAUA students’ union president, Samuel Adesomoju, vowed that the protest would continue until Governor Akeredolu reduces the fees.

He added: “We are here to make our demand known once again. We are telling Governor Akeredolu that our school fees must be reduced now because there will be no resumption if the fees are not reduced.

“It is our right to have education but the governor is gradually taking it away from us with his policies. If the governor wants to generate revenue, he should look elsewhere not our schools.

"We are sending him a clear message today that, we will not leave this road until he reduce the fees and he should not have in mind to open the schools without reduction. We are going to resist it.

Addressing the protesting students in his palace, the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo commended the students for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner during their demonstration. He assured the students that he would communicate their grievances to the governor.