Scores of students of the Ondo College of Health Technology, Akure, on Monday blocked the entrance of the institution in protest against deteriorating facilities, lack of basic amenities, and alleged extortion by the school management.
The students gathered at the main gate of the college as early as 8:00 a.m., displaying placards with inscriptions such as “We Are Tired of This Wickedness,” “Health Tech With Poor Environment,” “Stop Extortion Now,” and “No Solution, No Exams.” The protest also featured bonfires and solidarity chants, which brought activities at the institution to a standstill.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the protesters, a student, Adeola Ibiroke, said students had suffered prolonged hardship due to the absence of potable water, poor internal road networks, unreliable electricity supply, and other critical infrastructure.
Ibiroke accused the management of imposing what she described as excessive and unnecessary levies on students, despite the prevailing economic challenges in the country.
According to her, the institution lacks basic amenities, including functional classrooms, laboratories, and hostels, yet students are continually required to make various payments without consideration for their parents’ financial struggles. She further alleged that some lecturers were encouraged to demand money from students for textbooks and assignments, describing the situation as exploitative.
She explained that repeated attempts by students to engage the management through their representatives had yielded no results, prompting the decision to stage the protest. “We have tried dialogue several times, but our concerns were ignored. That is why we decided to take this step,” she said.
Reacting to the allegations, the college rector, Emoruwa Oluwole Oluwanbe, denied the claims against the management. He noted, however, that the Ondo State Government had stepped in and convened a meeting on the matter, assuring that a detailed response would be provided later.
Despite this, the protesting students maintained that academic activities, including lectures and examinations, would not resume until the management addresses what they described as years of neglect and exploitation.
