Tension As Graduates Of Ondo Varsity Distance Learning Programme Can’t Mobilize For NYSC

By Ayodele Oni

Uneasy calm now prevails at the campus of the Ondo state owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, (AAUA) Ado Ekiti campus, as students produced at the institution in the last three years, are not enlisted in the mandatory national youth corps service.

The situation has compelled the students to embark on massive protest at the weekend at the premises of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti Campus being used as venue for the off campus programme by AAUS.

The students have given the vice chancellor of the university, Prof Olugbenga Ige an altimatum to quickly address what they described as breach of trust and agreement in the admission process and the entire arrangement of the affiliated programme.

The protesters, who embarked on protest, displayed different placards having different inscriptions, accusing  the AAUA management through the Directorate of University Affiliated Program of railroading  them into the programme by assuring them that it was a full time and that they would be mobilized for the compulsory one year National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) at the completion of their four years courses.

Expressing their sadness and total disappointment in what the outcome of school arrangement is becoming, they said that many of them that graduated as the first set of the school are yet to be mobilized for NYSC programme, three years after, while some of them were given  letter of exclusion, different from the initial made-belief arrangement during admission.

The students who said that they are currently stuck, expressed frustration saying the programme instead of emboldening them to face life is hindering their paths forward.

“Our parent and guidance are beginning to doubt us, they committed very huge investment in sending us to this institution believing that we had the same opportunity with those on the main campus.

“The AAUA Directorate of Affiliated Programme kept assuring us of a standard in the arrangement, there was even a time that the VC and the registrar came to us here and told us not to panic and that everything was in order.

“What other assurance do we need to have when authorities have assured? Where is integrity? Here we are now and the AAUA/ FEDPOADO reality is dawn on us. Or may be the school management at the main campus is unaware of this whole thing because if they are aware, it should not be this way, the VC as we know is a man of repute and a seasoned administrator under whose watch such should not be happening.

However, the Directorate of AAUA affiliated programme FEDPOADO campus has reassured the students that efforts are on to resolve the issue and that the students has nothing to fear.