Concerns Arise Over Endangerment of OAU Students and Staff Amid Unregulated Mining and Land Dispute
The situation at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has raised concerns over the safety of students and staff due to unregulated mining activities and a land dispute with the Ife community.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
In recent developments at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), concerns have been raised regarding the endangerment of students and staff due to unregulated mining activities and a land dispute. Despite ongoing discussions in the media, the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals has yet to address the issue, which poses significant risks to the university community.
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Reports emerged last Monday of a group of individuals from the Ife community using a bulldozer to encroach upon university land near Poplat Fuelling station. Their stated objective is to construct a fence demarcating Ife land from that of the university, despite the presence of a three-block student hostel and the university's sawmill on the disputed land.
The hostel, funded by TETFUND, was intended to accommodate both male and female students. However, threats of violence from certain elements within the Ife community forced the university to postpone its allocation to students. Notably, previous acts of hostility towards university personnel, including an attack on the former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ogunbodede, indicate escalating tensions between the university and certain factions within Ife.
The situation underscores a broader concern about the university's vulnerability to external pressures. Failure to address these issues promptly could lead to heightened conflict between the Ife community and the university, potentially endangering lives and disrupting academic activities.
Observers have noted that encroachment on land allocated to the university by the federal government not only disregards established town-gown relations but also poses serious impediments to teaching, learning, and research endeavors.
Calls for intervention have been directed towards the federal government and President Tinubu, emphasizing the urgent need to safeguard the welfare of OAU students and staff. Additionally, there are expectations for proactive measures from the university management to assert its position and protect its interests in the face of ongoing encroachment.
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As discussions continue surrounding the resolution of the land dispute and the regulation of mining activities, stakeholders stress the importance of swift action to mitigate potential conflicts and ensure the safety and security of the OAU community.
