The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, may reduce the recently announced three-week mid-semester break following talks with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D.
The student body also confirmed that students currently living in university hostels will no longer be forced to leave campus during the break. This follows rising tension on campus over welfare issues, transportation challenges, and accommodation concerns.
The development came after a high-level meeting between NANS and the university management, led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Akinfala Oluropo.
According to a statement issued on Friday by NANS Southwest Coordinator, Adeyemo Josiah, the intervention became necessary after many students were left confused and stranded following the sudden announcement of the break.
The university had earlier directed students to proceed on a three-week break after protests disrupted academic activities and blocked major access roads within the campus.
The break decision was said to have been taken after student demonstrations raised concerns about safety and order on campus.
One of the key outcomes of the meeting is that students already staying in hostels will be allowed to remain on campus until the official resumption date. This decision, according to NANS, was taken to avoid further hardship for students who may not have immediate accommodation options outside the school.
The student body said the university management agreed that forced eviction would be suspended.
“Management agreed that students who are currently on campus and residing in their hostels will be allowed to remain until the official resumption date,” the statement said.
The university also assured that essential services such as water and electricity will continue to be provided in hostels where students remain during the break period.
This assurance is aimed at preventing a breakdown in living conditions for students who stay back on campus.
The issue of accommodation has been a recurring challenge in many Nigerian universities, where hostel spaces are often limited and private housing outside campus can be expensive for students.
At OAU, hostel demand has continued to rise due to the large student population, making sudden evacuation decisions difficult for many students to manage.
A major issue that triggered the unrest was transportation within the university campus.
Students had earlier embarked on a 72-hour lecture boycott between April 14 and April 16, 2026, to protest what they described as poor transportation services affecting their movement and academic activities.
The situation worsened after the introduction of compressed natural gas (CNG) buses within the university transport system. The initiative was part of efforts to improve campus mobility and reduce fuel costs.
The CNG buses and tricycles were introduced after about 80 vehicles were donated by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as part of a wider effort to improve transport infrastructure in federal universities.
However, students complained that the new system led to long queues, delays, and reduced accessibility, especially during peak hours.
Many students said they struggled to attend lectures on time, while others claimed movement around campus had become more difficult than before the introduction of the buses.
These complaints later escalated into a larger protest, with students demanding urgent action on transport services, accommodation concerns, and issues linked to an ongoing e-portal upgrade that affected registration and academic processes.
The protests reportedly disrupted normal academic activities and led to the blocking of some major access roads within the university.
During the meeting with NANS, the university management acknowledged the concerns raised by students and agreed to take steps to address them.
One of the key resolutions was a proposal to reduce the three-week break to one week. However, this decision will still be reviewed and approved by the University Senate before it becomes final.
“Management acknowledged the concerns raised and agreed to present the proposal for reducing the break period to one week before the University Senate,” NANS stated.
On transportation, the university also agreed to provide additional buses to ease movement within the campus.
“Management acknowledged the burden placed on students due to limited campus mobility and agreed to provide additional buses,” the statement added.
This is expected to reduce pressure on the existing transport system and improve access for students moving between lecture halls, hostels, and other parts of the campus.
The university also addressed concerns about planned renovations at Awolowo Hall, one of the major student hostels on campus.
It clarified that no renovation work has started yet and assured students that proper notice will be given before any future displacement.
The management also promised that alternative arrangements would be made to ensure that no student is forced out of accommodation without proper planning.
The National Association of Nigerian Students described the outcome of the meeting as a positive step toward restoring peace and stability at OAU.
According to the student body, the agreements reached show progress in addressing student welfare concerns and reducing tension on campus.
“These commitments represent significant progress toward restoring stability and protecting student welfare within the institution,” the statement said.
NANS added that it would continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the agreements are fully implemented by the university authorities.
The association also emphasized the need for continuous dialogue between students and management to prevent future disruptions.
The recent unrest at Obafemi Awolowo University is part of a broader pattern of student protests in Nigerian universities, often linked to welfare issues such as transportation, accommodation, and infrastructure.
OAU, one of Nigeria’s most prominent federal universities, has a large student population and often faces pressure on its facilities.
In recent years, issues such as fuel subsidy removal, rising transport costs, and infrastructure upgrades have affected student movement and campus life across the country.
The introduction of CNG buses was widely seen as a response to rising fuel prices, but its implementation at OAU led to new challenges that sparked student dissatisfaction.
For now, attention has shifted to how quickly the university can implement the agreed measures and whether the proposed reduction of the mid-semester break will be approved by the Senate.
Students and staff are expected to continue monitoring developments closely as the situation unfolds.