Ladapo Kolade
There were indications that the decision of the Obafemi Awolowo University authorities to ask students to vacate following protests over the death of Part Four female student Omowumi Aishat Adesina was informed by initial diagnosis of causes related to Covid-19 infections.
Sources told Echonews that the development caused panic in official circles prompting the decision to ask all the students to vacate to check possible spread of the virus among students on the campus.
If final diagnosis further confirm initial findings of the authorities, it may decide to ask the parents to bury the corpse at local cemetery instead of risking health complications that transportation and burial in Lagos might entail.
Meanwhile, on the OAU campus, the students’ hostels have turned to ghost enclaves by 7pm yesterday as the last set of students made their way out of the premises amidst thundering rains.
” I hope it wont be long before the call us back, I hope to hang out with my friend staying in a private hostel”, says Solape carrying a back pack containing her things as she climbed a motorcycle.
Like Solape, many students are taking the short cut, meaning that the university’s strategy of dispersing the students to beat a pandemic may falter.
The real estate sector in Ile-Ife has received a boost since investors cashed in on the short fall in accommodation provided by the university by coming up with students’ hostels to bridge the gap.
Observers blame the OAU authorities’ laxity in enforcing covid-19 regulations as pointer to the situation saying it needs urgent help to vaccinate students if they must resume soon to continue their lectures.
