As the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria nationwide protests loom, the Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has issued a clarion call for vigilance and lawfulness among the university community.
In a statement released on Monday, the Vice-Chancellor underscored the paramount importance of maintaining order and security before, during, and after the protests scheduled to commence on August 1, 2024.
“We must all be security conscious during this period,” the Vice-Chancellor declared, urging both staff and students to prioritize their personal safety and the protection of university property.
The VC’s message came against a backdrop of escalating tensions across Nigeria, as citizens prepare to take to the streets demanding systemic changes in governance. Emphasizing the importance of lawfulness, he implored, “We urge everyone to be law-abiding.”
Specifically addressing the students, he advised those who have completed their examinations to return home and stay with their families. “Those who have finished their exams should go home and be with their loved ones,” he recommended.
For students still engaged in their academic activities, the advice was clear: remain calm and adhere strictly to university regulations. “Remain peaceful and law-abiding,” he added.
The university community was also reminded of their civic duties, with the Vice-Chancellor urging everyone to perform their responsibilities with the highest commitment and vigilance. “Carry out your civic responsibilities with the highest sense of commitment and vigilance,” he noted.
In a bid to ensure the campus remains a safe haven, the University’s Security Unit has been tasked with maintaining strict surveillance over the entire university estate. “The Security Unit has been directed to keep surveillance over the entire University estate,” the statement read.
This directive is part of broader efforts to secure the safety of all university members during what is expected to be a period of heightened activity and potential unrest. “Your safety and the security of our campus are of utmost importance,” the VC reiterated.
The call for vigilance aligns with the broader national discourse, as Omoyele Sowore, the convener of #RevolutionNow, recently published a comprehensive list of 15 demands directed at President Bola Tinubu’s administration. These demands, which have galvanized the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria campaign, seek to address critical governance challenges.
The demands include:
1. Scrapping the 1999 Constitution and replacing it with a people-made constitution through a Sovereign National Conference, followed by a National Referendum.
2. Abolishing the Senate and making lawmaking a part-time profession, retaining only the House of Representatives.
3. Implementing a minimum wage of at least N250,000 monthly for Nigerian workers.
4. Investing heavily in education, providing grants instead of loans to students, and pursuing free and compulsory education for all children.
5. Unconditionally releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demilitarizing the South East.
6. Renationalizing publicly-owned enterprises sold to government officials and their cronies.
7. Reinstating a corruption-free subsidy regime to alleviate hunger and poverty.
8. Probing past and present leaders who have looted the treasury, recovering the loot to fund education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
9. Restructuring Nigeria to accommodate its diversity, implement resource control, decentralization, and regional development.
