By Meyiwa ogbitse
On ITV radio, the Vice-Chancellor of Uniben and the Chairman of all Vice-Chancellors of Nigeria, Lilian Salami, was invited to speak on why students are still at home since the school was shut down.
She appreciated the radio station for its dedication in providing the state with good and legitimate information about the happenings in the school because people usually have different rumours about the school, but the radio station has been able to let people know the real truth.
“Some go talk left, some go talk right,” she said.
She also appreciated the parents and guardians of the students at the University of Benin for taking care of the students despite their supposed to be in school. The students were not stopped because they voiced out about their suffering or being affected by the lack of light and water, but because they were using the protests to disturb others who were not affected by the issue; they took the protest too far.
The staff of Uniben were also appreciated despite the lack of light and non-payment of salaries. They didn’t protest but remained calm in the storm.
The school management did their best to ensure that there is light in the university. They took BEDC to court, but the court kept adjourning the case. Every alternative path the school explored to restore light would take four, five, or six months. The school management had to go back to BEDC to come to an agreement that would suit all parties, involving the school paying an additional 50 million after already paying 80 million. The school management agreed to pay the light fee in instalments. The University of Benin’s light has been restored by BEDC.
She said the reason the school hasn’t released a memo for resumption is because of the protests, and the school management doesn’t want the students travelling from various parts of the country back to school during the protests, which is not safe at all. The school management is still monitoring the situation of the protests to determine when it will be safe for resumption.
“E nor go good make we send our children enter road when things nor good,” she said.
She further mentioned that it was the Senate who closed down the school, not the Vice-Chancellor, as she has no power to do so.
Also, the school won’t be providing 24 hours of light; rather, they will be regulating the light based on the amount the school can pay for. Students will be called back immediately when it is safe to travel back.
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