"Hundreds of students of the University of Lagos blocked the major road leading to the institution’s main campus at Akoka yesterday to protest against epileptic power supply and poor water supply.
The protest was held at different sections of the school, including the Senate building and the Assembly Hall where the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rahman Bello, was hosting a number of dignitaries for 2016 First Award Winners’ Lecture.
While the programme was on, the protesting students laid siege at the entrance of the Assembly Hall, rebuking the vice chancellor and other management staff.
One of the protesters who identified himself as Bimbo narrated how difficult it had been for some of them to get water for basic
needs. He said for a number of days, the students had been experiencing power outage.
“We don’t have water to bathe nor wash our clothes. Power outage has even worsened our plight. All efforts to get management to share in our plight have proved abortive. What else can we do? So we resolved to stage the protest to draw management’s attention to our plight,” he said.
Another student, Chuks Johnson, described the VC’s hosting of the First Award Winner’s Lecture as insensitive.
“They know we are hurt, yet they can’t even listen to us. All they can do is to organise a programme and expect us to keep quiet. That won’t happen. The VC must come out and address this issue,” Johnson said.
Daily Trust correspondent observed that the VC could not show up to address the students who later dispersed when efforts to enter the Assembly Hall proved abortive as security operatives locked the entrance doors.
Efforts to also get the varsity’s spokesperson to react proved abortive."
Source: DailyTrust
