With the recent incident at Obafemi Awolowo University, a thorough investigation has been initiated by the university management into a confrontation between a male student and a lecturer.
Sources reveal that the student, identified as Gift, a 200-level student, unintentionally entered a lecture room conducted by Dr Ariyo, thinking it was his class. Upon realizing his mistake, Gift attempted to leave, but the lecturer called him back, leading to a heated argument escalating into a physical altercation.
An anonymous student stated, “When he saw that the faces in the class were strange, he quickly dashed out. The lecturer then called him back. After a while, we discovered that the lecturer invited the security personnel to take the student. He also dragged the student’s phone.”
Videos circulating online capture the intense moment, showing the student in a struggle with a security official. The lecturer, Dr Ariyo, is seen demanding the student switch off his phone and later throwing a punch at him.
The Students’ Union spokesperson, Elijah Omisore, condemned the incident, insisting on necessary prosecution. Omisore stated, “We want the necessary prosecution.”
In an official statement, the union demanded an open hearing, a public apology from Dr Ariyo, and assurance that the victim and other students in the class won’t face any victimization.
The university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, expressed disapproval of the lecturer’s actions and confirmed a probe into the matter. Olarewaju urged students to remain calm while assuring a thorough administrative investigation. The Vice-Chancellor has already taken steps by contacting the Dean of the faculty and the Head of Department involved in the incident.
