Priscilla Ofunre, Ado Ekiti
Students of Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), on Wednesday, protested poor electricity supply, in Oye-Ekiti, the host community, insisting that they are at the receiving end of the power blackout.
The protesting students gathered for the protest on their campus at about 10am from where they moved to the office of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) and the palace of the traditional ruler of the community, the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, to express their grievances.
They displayed placards with inscriptions such as: ‘No Light in FUOYE’, ‘We need electricity in Oye Ekiti’, ‘Power supply is crucial to our studies’, among others.
However, the officials of BEDC were not available when the students got there, they therefore headed for the palace of the Oloye where they made their grievances over the incessant blackout known to the monarch, urging him to help send the message to the appropriate quarters.
FUOYE Students’ Union President, Oluwaseun Awodola and Public Relations Officer, Adetola Omofoye, said the protest was to drive home the students’ demand for provision of electricity and other facilities to enhance their studies.
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Awodola said, “Our education depends on light and we are being deprived of electricity.
“The electricity distribution company had been making life difficult for us and frustrating our studies.
“They usually restore light to our homes only about three days towards month end in a bid to distribute their bills.
“The darkness that they have thrown the community into has compelled many of us to go to ATM stands and bank premises to read at night.
“We need not be told this is not safe and secured. When we go out to read where we can have access to light, many of our students had their rooms burgled and they lost valuables such as laptop computers and phones in the process.
“We are suffering. We want the Federal Government to come to our aid urgently on this issue of electricity. We cannot continue like this.
“The government has to consider our accommodation issue too and as well transport problem.
“Owing to inadequacy of vehicles, our students trek many kilometers daily and are exposed to accidents. The government has to rise to our aid urgently,” the students’ union leader said.