Obafemi Awolowo University
Two people have been injured in a fight that ensued between Students Union Government leaders of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State on Tuesday, The Punch is reporting.
During the fight, the Vice President of the union, Jacob Tosin, allegedly broke a bottle and stabbed the Social Director, Adedayo Emmanuel, in the arm.
It was learnt that Tosin, who also received a head butt from Emmanuel, had been admitted to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Ile-Ife.
PUNCH Metro said it gathered that the fight started when a meeting was held on how to spend a sum of N3.8 million released to the union by the university management.
The student leaders had earlier been accused of misappropriation when they used a previous disbursement of N3 million in June to purchase a bus.
Though the union executive members said the bus was purchased for N2.5 million, students of the institution insisted that the bus was bought for N900,000.
During the Tuesday meeting, one of the leaders told PUNCH Metro that the union’s President, Ibukun Edward, asked other executive members for a project that could be financed with the N3.8 million.
While the president reportedly suggested the construction of a relaxation centre for the students, the Public Relations Officer, Simon Okediji, reportedly pushed for a library.
The Welfare Director, Ajiboye Adekanmi, was said to have asked that a staircase to a major lecture theatre be constructed, among others.
The VP, popularly called Emerald, was said to have proposed that freshmen’s packages should be sponsored with part of the money.
Her plan was allegedly rejected.
According to the executive member, who did not want to be named, Emerald flared up and attempted to leave the meeting, but was persuaded to stay till the end.
He said: “She proposed N1.4 million for the freshmen’s packages. We told her that when we get the dues for this session, we would look into her suggestion.
She flared up and was about leaving the meeting when Lamba (Emmanuel) jokingly told her not to leave and stood on her way. She slapped him twice and held his shirt.
“We separated them and continued with the meeting, but the VP was still angry. After a while, we just saw her rushing to open the refrigerator of the president; she was looking for a bottle.
We thought it was a joke and someone pointed her attention to an empty bottle; she smashed it on the table. When the bottle didn’t break, she smashed it on the floor and took a part of the broken bottle, charged at Lamba and stabbed him in the arm. While we struggled to collect the bottle, Lamba also headbutted her.”
When contacted on the telephone, Emerald’s phone was picked by her friend, one Dayo.
She said: “This is not Emerald. This is her friend. She is not feeling fine at all. She can’t speak right now. When she is okay, she will get back to you.”
Dayo explained that Emerald had been referred to the Seventh Day Adventist for treatment by the OAU Health Centre, where she was initially rushed to.
Attempts to reach Lamba proved abortive as calls put across to his telephone number didn’t go through.
However, the PRO of the OAU SUG confirmed the incident.
He said: “What happened is not something we can keep elaborating on. The breaking of a bottle occurred in a meeting held inside the president’s office is not an issue for public consumption and it has been resolved.
Even at home and at the federal level, we have misunderstanding. So, we had one here and it has been settled. This is a human setting and anybody can pick an offence.”
Also, the Head of OAU, Students Affairs Division, Prof. Isiaka Aransi, confirmed that N3.8 million was released to the union leaders.
“The money has been disbursed. It is their money and it was approved for disbursement," Aransi added.
