Sub-dean student affairs urges drivers to stop alleged exploitation

The Sub-dean students affairs unit, Dr. M.A. Akanmu, has urged all drivers to stop their alleged exploitation of students on campus.

The sub-dean students affairs, Dr M.A. Akanmu, made it clear while settling a dispute that was reported to students affairs unit of the university.

He said, "Infact at the time we agreed to the term of paying N70 for vehicle to terminus,  we were compelled to agree because we felt by Wednesday the matter would have been resolved and we have enough buses to bring the monopoly, because the korope and the buses are almost making fortune of us, and of course the buses were running on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

He added that, we have no choice, it is part of our compromise and despite the compromise,  we will still have challenges on Monday and Tuesday and this is not a permanent situation, which shouldn't mean that we should in any way extort our students. The situation we have found ourselves is a national problem not peculiar to us but we shouldn't in any way abuse it.

He enthused that, the management decided not to ask the students to go on break pending this period of fuel scarcity especially  because of those in final year so as to be able to meet up with NYSC registration.

Akanmu informed the driver not to see the students as being troublesome. He said, "To be rascal is different from to be radical. To be radical means to have a sharp mind which does not mean someone is troublesome. We want people who are radical not rascal. So we must learn to manage the situation".

Our correspondent gathered that, the issue which occurred was said to have commenced some minutes past 6pm, and involved a bus driver who conveyed some group of students from the school park with an initial agreement of conveying them to the school terminus for N70 but later led to a prolonged  argument between the students and the driver, because of his refusal to accept N50 for oke odo and N70 from those whose destination is the school terminus.

This consequently led to the driver turning back from a point between the school stadium and education back to the school park where they commenced the journey and at the point of turning back to the school park when the bus developed fault.

Here, a member of the Union of campus journalist and a member of the Student' union council came in and gave their rapt attention to both the students and the driver to share their views on the issue.

A 400L female student of  department of performing art who was among those  affected shared her view. 

She said, "We were trying to settle with the driver that some people are going to terminus,  why don't you at least take those going to terminus to oke odo for N50 so that when you stop, the rest that are going to terminus will take motto from there.  Some students complained they come to school with #100 and they will not be able to go back.  What kind of rubbish is this? We were fighting for those students that were going to terminus. At least those going to terminus let them pay N50 at least they will get another vehicle from that place but this man said no it is oke-odo he is going to and his oke odo is N70."

For justification purpose,  the driver was equally asked to share his view concerning the issue.

He said, "By the time I was loading at the school park, I said Tanke Oke odo then a man came to them and said if I don't get to terminus,They should not pay then I agreed with them by closing my door. As we were going, somebody asked how much is Oke Odo and another person said gate  then I said N70, another student asked how much is terminus and I said don't question me. Anywhere you alight is N70."

At the cost of resolving this issue, the student union representative at the Senate councils,  the affected students and a member of union of campus journalists proceeded to the office of the sub dean of students affairs where the issue was brought to a resolution. 

In the process of resolution,  the sub dean welcomed everyone and asked what the issue was while he listened uninterruptedly and gave equal avenue to the both parties that is, the students and the driver for their views which were tendered just as noted previously above.

SULE, Rabbi Joy

_aka Joyce_

_Reporting for UCJ_