The Great Ife League of Presidents at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has rejected the N15,000 portal access and maintenance charge introduced by the university.
The league made this known in a statement on Sunday. It said the OAU portal charge was introduced without proper consultation with the students expected to pay it.
“This charge was introduced without proper consultation with the students who are expected to pay it,” the statement said.
It said the charge comes at a time when many families are struggling with the rising cost of education.
The league also criticised the leadership of the students’ union, including its central executive council. It said their silence did not mean neutrality, but a failure to represent the students who elected them.
It gave the union 24 hours to state its position publicly. If there is no response, the league said students would hold a peaceful demonstration at the Students’ Union building.
“This will be orderly, lawful and peaceful, but it will make one thing clear: the students will not be ignored,” the statement said.
The league also called on the university to withdraw the charge and consult students before introducing further fee increases.
It urged students to stay calm and not to pay the N15,000 until they receive further directives.
In a separate statement on Monday, the Dean of the Division of Student Affairs, Prof. J. A. Odedire, said the charge is not new. According to him, it is an increase of an existing payment from N6,000.
“The Portal access charge has always been one of the line items of the sundry charges being paid by students over the years. It is not a new charge!” he said.
Odedire said the increase was meant to strengthen the security of the electronic portal and reduce the risk of students’ data being compromised. He said the university decided to host the portal in one of the most secure data storage environments.
He added that the new arrangement requires a separate payment gateway, different from the Remita platform the university normally uses. This is why the charge is now paid separately from other sundry charges.
The dean also assured students from poor backgrounds that the university will not introduce policies that stop them from pursuing their education.
Later on Monday, the Great Ife Students’ Union advised students to suspend payment of the N15,000 e-portal charge until the matter is clarified.
The union’s statement was signed by its President, Olalekan Kujembola, Secretary-General, AbdulRoheem Arogundade, and Public Relations Officer, Isaac Oluwagbami.
The union said it recognises the importance of a secure and functional portal. However, it said access to the platform should not become another source of financial pressure for students.
“It is important to emphasise that the University’s e-portal is not merely an optional digital service. It is an indispensable platform through which students undertake critical activities, including school fee payment, course registration, hostel accommodation balloting and other academic processes,” the union said.
It urged students to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified reports while awaiting further communication.
Digital Operations Manager at The Students Forum Nigeria.
