The anger among University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan students is palpable. For over 100 days, the institution has experienced persistent power outages, prompting a student-led protest on Monday. The protesting students have voiced their displeasure to President Bola Tinubu through the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu over the lack of action by the government to restore power to the institution and the impact of the prolonged darkness on the teaching hospital.
The Extent of the Problem
The epileptic power supply, beginning in October 2024, has continued unabated. Despite numerous attempts by students to engage UCH management, the situation remains unresolved. This prolonged power outage is negatively affecting patient health and the working conditions of staff, including medical students. Reports even suggest patients are resorting to bringing their own generators for treatment.
Protest Demonstrations
Protesting students carried placards with various inscriptions, including: “+100 Days of Darkness: Save UCH; Save ABH Hall; Save Falade Hall; Give Us Light; This Is Not How We Want To Live; Medical School Is Hard Enough—Give Us Light; All We Are Saying, Give Us Light.”
Student Leaders Speak Out
Samson Samuel, a former University of Ibadan Students’ Union Government President, and Olamide Omotunde, a former UI Speaker, both medical students, decried the situation. They stated, “We have had a series of meetings with the UCH management, but nothing was done to restore electricity in the halls.”
Samuel added, “No light, no water. We shall continue this protest until our demands are met.”
Omotunde explained, “We protested on January 26, 2025, to the State and Federal Secretariats, Agodi, Ibadan, hoping management would act, but nothing has been done. That’s why, after 100 days, we decided to protest the power outage.”
Ongoing Efforts for Resolution
As the protest continues, a crucial meeting is underway between Mr. Adelabu, the CMD, Jesse Otegbayo, and stakeholders in the institution’s Conference Room to address the power supply issue. The UCH Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Funmi Adetuyibi, attempted to appease the students but was unsuccessful.
