As the demonstration embarked on by the students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife over hike in tuition fees entered its second day on Wednesday, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has expressed his readiness to mediate between the aggrieved students and the management of the institution.
Oba Sijuwade, who spoke through the Adimula of Ifewara, Oba Hezekiah Adeniyi-Owolola, promised to prevail on the managment of the OAU to reverse its decision on the new tuition fees, stressing that there was need to support and encourage any measure that could enhance peace and communal harmony in Osun State.
Undeterred by the seeming hardline posture of the OAU management in reversing to the old tuition fee regime, the students, numbering over 7,000, on Wednesday stormed major streets of Ile-Ife and visited the palace of Ooni, seeking the intervention of the traditional ruler in resolving the imbroglio over the new tuition fees.
The development, which paralysed social and economic activities in the ancient city, led to traffic gridlock and trading activities in markets were halted before the students marched to the palace of Ooni to register their displeasure.
It will be recalled that the students had, on Tuesday, embarked on protest against the hike in their tuition, blocking all the major roads in the town including the Ife/Ibadan express road.
The president-elect of the students’ union of the university, Ibikunle Isaac, who led the students on the protest, contended that the students would continue with the protest until the university management reversed to the old tuition fees completely.
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