•Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) main gate
Students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, have declared a 72-hour lecture boycott in protest against what they described as an “inadequate and poorly implemented” campus transportation system linked to vehicles donated by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
The boycott is scheduled to run from tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14 to Thursday, April 16, 2026, reports The Guardian.
The decision was announced in a resolution issued by the Students’ Union Government (SUG) following a congress held on April 9, alongside subsequent joint meetings of its leadership structures.
In a statement co-signed by the SUG President, Adelani David, and Secretary-General, Habeeb Oke, the union said the action followed weeks of mounting frustration over mobility challenges on campus, which it noted had disrupted academic activities and daily movement of students.
“The union shall embark on a total 72-hour lecture boycott starting from Tuesday, 14th April 2026, to Thursday, 16th April 2026. All academic activities are to be boycotted throughout this period,” the statement read.
The students accused the newly introduced transport system of worsening commuting conditions, citing an insufficient number of vehicles, overcrowding, long waiting times, and inadequate route coverage.
According to the union, the situation has been particularly challenging for students residing off-campus, many of whom now depend on limited and more expensive transport alternatives outside the university’s control.
The SUG added that repeated engagements with the university management had yet to yield immediate solutions, despite assurances that the system was still in a transitional “teething phase.”
Among the union’s demands are the deployment of more vehicles to cater to the university’s population of over 35,000 students, the temporary reinstatement of the previous transport arrangement pending improvements, and full consultation with student leaders before further policy changes are implemented.
The union also called for the adoption of a more inclusive, hybrid transport model that reflects the realities of student movement within the campus and surrounding communities.
It warned that failure by the university authorities to address the concerns within the 72-hour window could lead to an escalation of actions, including a mass protest.
“The leadership shall review the situation at the end of the 72-hour boycott. Further actions such as a possible mass protest or march shall be considered if the management fails to address the demands satisfactorily within this period,” the statement added.
The protest follows the donation of 80 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and tricycles to the university by the First Lady, an initiative aimed at improving campus transportation and easing mobility for students and staff.
Following the donation, the university management restricted intra-campus transportation to the newly introduced vehicles. While initially welcomed as a modernisation effort, students say the policy has resulted in unintended operational challenges.
In an earlier statement, the SUG acknowledged the intervention but maintained that gaps in implementation had led to long queues, delays, and insufficient fleet availability, particularly during peak hours.
The union also expressed concern over the exclusion of commercial transport operators who previously served parts of the campus, noting that their removal had further limited mobility options.
University authorities, during engagements with student representatives, reportedly described the current situation as a temporary phase and assured that additional buses would be introduced in the coming months to improve efficiency.
Despite these assurances, students insist that commuting conditions remain difficult, prompting the planned boycott as a pressure measure to demand urgent action.
