Ospoly Damages Fee: OSUN BNSSG Appeal To Osun Govt. & Ospoly Iree Management; To Be Compassionate and Tamper Justice With Mercy.

The Osun State Chapter of the Buhari National Students Support Group has made a passionate appeal to the State government and Management of the state owned polytechnic OSPOLY, over the cost (#10,000) levied on students for damages done to the institution’s medical centre during a protest.

In a release made available to the media, the BNSSG State Coordinator; Comrade Kunle Oyediran centered on the need for the leadership of society to always identify with the students at all times, in order to ensure that there is a platform where free flowing thoughts would be well received and properly understood.

The release reads “the decision to levy a cost on students for damages done to the School property by the management of Osun State Polytechnic may not be out of place, considering the fact that it is the responsibility of every student to find the most civil means of expressing their feelings and perception of affairs as it relates to the general welfare of students amongst other things.  The protest carried out by students of Osun State polytechnic turned violent and presented an atmosphere of insecurity, a reality that every strata of society must condemn because violence removes the seasoning from every genuine agitation.”

Comrade Oyediran however brought the attention of the management of the institutions to the degree of disaffection that led to the students resorting to protest. “We must not take anything away from the issue of violence that dents the protest; however we must not deny the gravity of what the death of a student over what appeared to be negligence and costly oversight, can do. We can’t relegate the fact that the effect of watching a fellow student die before their very eyes must have struck a note, even as such would have also thrown up fear and uncertainty. Students are the most important group in any tertiary institution of learning, and therefore it would be expected that all those who work in connection with the students’ community must see it beyond just a place where livelihood is made/earned”.  “Issues pertaining to the health and general welfare of students should always be taken with seriousness, because they constitute the future of society. The life of every student should be seen as worthy of protecting because it is the future of our society.”

Comrade Oyediran agreed that there is was indeed a need for students to learn from their brashness and immaturity, nevertheless he called on the Management to compromise on the amount levied on each student. “Even as we must yet make it very clear that violence and brash decisions are very costly, we must also put into consideration that the relationship between the student community and management authority is intertwined and can be positively exploited. As efforts are made to correct the excesses of students of which protests are one of them, I would also urge the management authority to reconsider the #10,000 fee as it appears to be on the high side”

He closed his statement by calling on the state government to wade into the matter and prevail on the management of the school to reduce the cost. “ I urge the state government via the ministry of education to intervene on this matter and ease the worry of the students. The present economic realities make it more strenuous for students especially those sponsoring themselves through school, to afford. This call is for the consideration of the plight of young people”