If you’ve been following the updates from #FeesMustFall struggle, you must have seen the statement we issued to expose the Faculty theft- 25k cash, 9k receipt. They had to scamper for safety and cancelled that process. We are yet to see full compliance though.
I present to you today another 525k payment, 135k receipt. It never ends in UNILAG. Unfortunately where was supposed to be a citadel of learning has been converted to a crime scene by those in misManagement.
Our investigation has shown that it’s the same pattern of stealing. 135k on official receipt, but 525k paid for a “bed space” at Sodeinde Hall.
Yes. You read that headline correctly. It’s 525k for a bedspace not land, not a mini-flat apartment, not even a full bunk. A space for student mattress!
This is elevated stealing supervised by the DSA, sanctioned by the VCs. It did not start yesterday. We found out that it’s been going on for almost 3 years.
So here is the drill.
When I came in as a fresh man, hostel fee was about 24,500. Despite the inadequacy of the bed spaces, a reasonable number of students could at least afford the fee and it made staying on campus very interesting. There was this communalism amongst students that helped them succeed in their academics. No one is separated from the other by economic status or brilliance. First class students were together with students struggling academically. It helped a great deal.
Fast forward to now, a number of these hostels have been privatized and turned to “suites”, pushing out poor and struggling students to the cold and to the voracious sharks waiting for them in the real estate business around campus.
A particular hall, Sodeinde has been increased to 60,000 for some years now, but here’s the plot to the story. That’s not what you will pay to get the space. You must pay an extra 150,000. They claim it’s a fee to “adopt” students. Why should one student who can afford 60k be forced to adopt other students who won’t live with him? You don’t get to meet those you adopted. You just pay the Management for “adoption”. No papers. Nothing. That’s how they adopt at UNILAG.
It’s also laughable because in the list of palliatives rolled out by the Management, this adoption was also stated there, but they said it would be done by alumni.
Why then has this criminal adoption been happening even before the increment in fees? There’s no other name to describe this than Stealing. Pure Authority Stealing.
The 150,000 “goes” to the indigent students no one knows. To confirm to you that it is a racket, if you know your way around, you won’t pay the 150k adoption money.
Despite all these rackets, the same VC is crying on TV that she loves the students and that the University will shut down if they don’t increase fees, they need to pay NEPA bla bla bla.
We are not done yet. Follow me.
Fast forward to this time, the allocation to those indigent students that no one, including the sponsor knows, has been increased “due to economic realities” to 390,000. So as you approach the Student Affairs for a bedspace at that hall, you are told the total sum is 525,000 despite them announcing 135,000 to the world; an amount that is already outrageous- increased by over 100 percent (60k to 135k).
This should be a matter of interest to all anti-corruption CSOs, the media and government agencies. The EFCC must be brought in at this time to look into the books of the University. This should not be allowed to continue. It’s insane!
While we continue on this struggle for fees to fall, the whole world needs to beam their torchlight to the extortion and criminal activities going on in UNILAG. I am sure there are a couple we have not uncovered yet.
You may even not need a torch because many are happening in broad daylight.
Every Nigerian who has conscience must join in this fight now. We want to assure you that we won’t rest until all the perpetrators of this crime spend some time in jail.
- Adeyeye Olorunfemi
