In January 2021, a fire outbreak engulfed some students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, which left the affected students injured and hospitalized, as many of the students are yet to recover from the incident as at the time of filling this report.
Later, the honourable representing Akoko South West and South East, Adejoro Adeogun facilitated some palliatives to the affected students through the Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
After the assessment conducted by NEMA Ekiti Operations office to determine the extent of damage and the level of Federal Government’s assistance. The relief materials were handed over to the Students’ Union led by Obagunwa Oluwasegun, political known as Supreme to be distributed to the affected students, in relieving their parents of spending more to restock their lodges.
Allegation levelled against AAUASU for diverting the palliatives
On June 17, 2021, Sahara reporter, a news platform owned by a Nigeria activist and former presidential candidate under ACC, Omoyele Sowore, published a story, which accused the Students’ Union president, Obagunwa Oluwasegun and the Senate president of the Students Representative Council, Abiola Amodu, known as Eja-nla for diverting the palliative meant for the affected students to their self-benefit.
The news headline read, “How Ondo State-owned University Students’ Leaders Diverted Relief Materials Meant for Colleagues Affected by Fire Outbreak.
“Some of the items kept in the institution’s Works Department had been secretly taken away by Obagunwa and Amodu”.
It also added, “The Students’ Union President of Adekunle Ajasin University, Oluwasegun Obagunwa (SUPREME) and his Senate President, Abiola Amodu (EJA NLA) have been accused of diverting relief materials worth millions of naira meant for students of the institution affected by fire outbreak.
“The Nigerian government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had in January 2021 approved the distribution of relief materials to persons affected by fire outbreak in Iwaro Oka and Akungba Akoko, both in the Akoko South West Local Government Area”.
AAUASU debunk the rumour, state reasons for not distributing it.
The union in the statement released to the University community through the office of the Public Relations Officer, Adegbeyeni Oluwafemi, politically known as Barryfem debunked the rumour, claimed it meant to change the students mind against the administration.
“The Students Union of the above named institution, under the leadership of Comrade Obagunwa Oluwasegun, wishes to inform the general public and the students of Adekunle Ajasin University, that the allegation raised against the students union that the palliative given to the fire accident victims have been diverted, is totally untrue”.
According to the circular, the reason while the palliatives are yet to be distributed was because the affected students are yet to resume or recovered fully.
It added that, “The reason why the Palliatives have not been shared was that the union want the affected Students to resume fully. As currently, only one of them is around while others are still recuperating at home. Which means many of those Students affected by fire accident are yet to resume”.
The circular added that the palliative materials are still very intact at the works department of the University, and students are advised to ignore rumour peddlers as the Union shall protect the welfare of the students at all times.
Investigation review
In other to ascertain, if the palliative was diverted, our correspondents pay a visit to the Dean of Student Affair, Dr. Owolewa, who affirmed that the palliative are intact and nothing happened to them.
However, he urged the internal factors who are giving false information to outsiders to desist from such act, which can truncate the believe people have in the institution.
In his own notion, the director of works, said the palliative are going to be distributed unfailingly next week Tuesday, after the approval of the acting vice counsellor, on the names that will be generated by the union.
According to him, “The union executives were here yesterday to check the palliative and they are all intact and I do not know where people got fake news from”.
He warned students and anybody who derived joy in spreading doctored and fake news to check themselves and turned a new leave.
AAUA INSIDER gathered that 50 bags of 12.5kg rice, 50 bags of 12.5kg garri, 50 mattresses, 50 blankets and 300 yards of Ankara textile said to be diverted by Obagunwa and Amodu, were still intact as at the part of filing this report.
Author
