JOSEPH OKWUOFU , Ibadan
Socio-economic activities were paralysed in different parts of Ibadan following a protest by students of the University of Ibadan over 18 months of disconnection of electricity supply to the University College Hospital ( UCH ), Ibadan.
The aggrieved students who took over some major roads in the city of Ibadan, caused traffic gridlock, leading to Chaos and panic among motorists and other road users.
The said black out came on the heels of a disagreement between the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and the University College Hospital over huge debts.
As a result of the power outage which lasted for 82 days, students at the College from the University of Ibadan narrated their harrowing experiences due to the energy problem.
In the peaceful protest to express their grievances, the students in large numbers marched through the streets, chanting solidarity songs to draw the attention of the government to their plight.
The protest started from the UCH main gate through Total Garden to the State Secretariat, Agodi Ibadan with the students carrying placards with various inscriptions like “Restore Our Electricity, We are suffering”.
Speaking, the President, the Students’ Union, University of Ibadan, Mr Bolaji Aweda said, that students of the University of Ibadan at the College of Medicine, UCH, are mostly residents at the Alexander Brown Hall and Ayodele Falase Postgraduate Hall, stressing that they have passed through hardship due to lack of Water and Electricity, which had affected their health and studies.
While addressing the Protesters at the State Secretariat, Ibadan, shortly after submitting their demands through a letter to Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, Mr. Sunday Odukoya commended the Students for their civility and comportment in expressing their grievances.
Mr. Odukoya promised to relay their message to the Governor for further steps on their demands.
Security men from the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, were on the ground to maintain law and order during the protest.
For a better society
_______________________________
Follow us across our platforms:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/championnewsonline/
Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/championnewsonline
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-newspapers-limited/
https://x.com/championnewsng/
You can also like and comment on our YouTube videos.
https://youtu.be/QIBfD1tT80w?si=R4Qf3so2LxYu3GC2
