Osun Students Block Dep. Governor From Entering State Secretariat Over 9 Months Closure Of Schools

Students of Osun State government-owned tertiary
institutions, yesterday for over an hour, prevented the deputy governor, Mrs.
Grace Laoye-Tomori from entering the Abeere Government Secretariat while
protesting the continued closure of their campuses.

The students, mainly from the four tertiary institutions,
Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Osun
state College of Education, Ila and Ilesa, participated in the protest which
lasted several hours.

The students demanded immediate re-opening of their schools
shut nine months ago.

The students had, as early as 9.00 am, converged on the
popular Olaiya junction and held up traffic for about an hour before moving to
the state secretariat. During the protest, the students blocked all roads
leading to the secretariat and insisted that their campuses be immediately
reopened.

Attempt by the permanent secretary of the state Ministry of
Education Mr. Lawerence Oyeniran, to pacify the students failed as he was booed
and later whiskered away by the police and men of the Directorate of State
Services.

Leaders of the protesting students, Mr Adekunle Animasahun
and Lukman Adekitan said their demands include immediate re-opening of their
institutions, improvement of infrastructures in their institutions, recruitment
of more lecturers and payment of salary arrears to workers.

The deputy Governor, Mrs Laoye Tomori, who was returning
from vacation later arrived the scene and attempted to enter the Government
Secretariat, but was prevented by the protesters.

Vanguard