By Zika Sonia in Benin City
History was made on Monday 5th of December 2016 as students of the University of Benin, Ekehuan campus came out in numbers as early as 6 a.m. to protest the state of the campus.
In the course of the protest, the main gate leading to the campus was shut thereby preventing movement in and out of the campus. The reasons behind the protest was the poor state of the campus ranging from lack of basic amenities such as light and water, poor teaching and instructional facilities such as classrooms, inadequate accommodation facilities, inadequate ATM machines, lack of relaxation centres, lack of sporting facilities as well as the poor state of the assembly hall also known as the theatre hall and the poor state of the existing hostels.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Friday Orumwense who later arrived the campus, promised to provide solutions to the problems faced by the students. He promised to provide more ATM machines for the campus as well as relaxation centres by early January 2017. The sports centre, classrooms and hostels were also promised to be fixed in no time.
Meanwhile, some of the promises made by the Vice Chancellor following the protest have been fulfilled. To curb epileptic power suply, a new power generating set was delivered to the school two days after the protest. Grasses have been cut in the various halls of residence as well as fumigation carried out, abandoned renovation projects in the male halls of residence have also been re-visited. The VC also invited bank officials in Benin City the following day to tour the school in order to determine the best places to erect new ATM machines.
The Assistant Secretary General of the Student Union Government (SUG) UNIBEN, Mr Elliot Airhuoyuwa assured the students that the rest of the promises made by the VC would be fulfilled, adding that the VC has no reason to lie to the students. He pleaded with the students to exercise patient as all these promises will take time to unfold.
One time Faculty of Arts Deputy Speaker, Mr Barisi Benson also confirmed that the school authority has been keeping to some of the promises, adding that the students are looking forward to seeing the fulfillment of all the promises.
One of the student, Miss Zeenat Oluwo expressed optimistism that the school authority will finish what they started and fulfill the rest of the promises.
Precision Journos hope to see more of these promises fulfilled in the first quarter of 2017.
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