Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, has lifted the ban imposed on student unionism since March 10, 2015, as a result of crisis that erupted during the conduct of the 2014/2015 students’ union election that led to breakdown of law and order on campus.
Since that the ban was imposed six years ago, students of the institution have been lobbying for the reinstatement of the union locally and nationally.
During the courtesy visit of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), led by its chairman, Busari Abiola, to the YABATECH rector, Obafemi Omokungbe, an engineer, when he assumed office, NANS called for the return of SUG in the institution. The rector told them that his administration was doing everything to restore SUG in the college.
Recently, YABATECH’s council chairman, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, assured the students during a live radio programme that the suspension placed on the SUG would be lifted after certain conditions.
The promise by the rector and council chairman has eventually been fulfilled. When the news was broken to the students, there was jubilation on campus.
The dean of student affairs, R.O. Balogun, noted that immediately the ban was lifted by management, a committee, comprising student representatives from each school in the college, was formed to review the SUG’s constitution, the review has been completed and submitted to management and it has been approved.
The activities of having the new SUG executives are in top gear, the management has constituted an electoral body headed Dr. M.A Adebakin, a Chief Lecturer to supervise students’ union election slated for Thursday, October 14, 2021, in which 20 offices been listed to be occupied by candidate with the highest vote. The election guidelines, code of conduct and time table have been made available for students by the committee for the smooth conduct of the election.