AAU VC Accuses Ex-Students' Union leaders For Leading Illegal Protests Against The Institution










AAU VC Accuses Ex-Students' Union leaders For Leading Illegal Protests Against The Institution

...blames Non-State Actors For Causing Crisis 

Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin


The Acting Vice Chancellor of the Ambrose Alli University, (AAU) Ekpoma, Prof. Sonnie Adagbonyin has accused the erstwhile Students Union Leaders of the school for peddling unecessary rumours that the management of the university has increase the fees of the State Owned Government University.


Prof. Sonnie Adagbonyin also blamed the  non-state actors of fomenting trouble and spreading the fake news in order to create crisis and chaos  in the institution .

The VC made the clarifications with  the media, at the Nigerian of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Benin city, Edo state, asserted that, the Ex Students' Union leaders, presently leading protests against alleged hike in school fees of being two-faced as they were part of the team that negotiated the ”add-on fees" they are now protesting against.







"We are here today to address an issue that has for some time now taken a huge space in public conversations: the issue of school fees and protests in AAU. This appears to have formed the basis of other concerns.

" I will tell you here today, Gentlemen of the Press, and upon my honour as the Ag. Vice Chancellor and on behalf of the Management and the Senate of the University that there is no increment in the TUITION fees of returning students. 


"This is contrary to the news making the rounds that AAU has increased tuition fees for returning students to about 100%. Some reports even say 200% or 300%.  (We have taken time to produce for you the current chargeable fees in AAU as paid by both fresh students and returning students). 

"For the avoidance of doubt, these add-ons amounted to N50,200 only for all the programmes in the Faculties of Arts, Law, Management Sciences, Social Sciences and Environmental Studies; and for all the programmes in the Faculties of Agriculture, Education, Engineering and Technology, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences.

"Others include the Departments of Anatomy and Physiology and, finally, the Department of Nursing and the Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences. The over N120,000 being bandied by the students is totally false. The payment of N20,000 for the Learning Management System (LMS) is a “one-off.'"

Brandishing a paper which tabulated the current chargeable school fees as paid by both freshmen and returning students, Prof. Adagbonyin recalled that when the then leadership threatened to shut the university gate over some perceived issues, that of school fees was not even high up on the list, adding that the only aspect of their agitation that was related to fees was the inclusion of returning (old) students in the Edo Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS).

Commenting on the claim by the leadership of the Students' Union that they had reached an agreement with EDOHIS to exclude all returning students from 300 level and above from the scheme, he said that the unionists were informed that the agreement they spoke about would only be implemented if it was true and officially communicated to the authorities, lamenting that it was yet to reach the school management.

He was unequivocal: "Upon my honour as the Acting Vice Chancellor and on behalf of the Management and the Senate of the university that there is no increment in the  tuition fees of returning students. This is contrary to the news making the rounds that AAU has increased tuition fees for returning students to about 100%. Some reports even say 200% or 300%.

 Prof Adagbonyin added that protests in the tertiary institution have taken political dimension as there is a growing tendency for people to go to the university gate and lock it on every impulse.


" It is imperative for us to make public some facts as they relate to the ongoing protests in AAU. The erstwhile Student Union leaders currently leading protests against alleged hike in school fees, were part of the team that negotiated the ”add-on” fees they are now protesting against. 

"When the then leadership threatened to shut the University gate because of some perceived issues, that of school fees was not even high up on the list of the issues.


The VC blamed: "Non-state actors stir trouble from without. Internal issues in the university are externalized beyond the university community and selfish individuals seek to profit from it. We have this advice for all: give peace a chance."





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