The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, has rescinded its decision to compel students who may be allocated hostel accommodation to bring their mattresses and other items to the campus, PREMIUM TIMES can exclusively report.
Top officials of the university who spoke exclusively with this newspaper on Friday morning said though the decision was based on personal hygiene of the students, “as a responsible institution, listening to the dissenting opinions and conceding to the popular demand was the best thing to do.”
The Dean of the Students’ Affairs of the university, Musa Obalola, a professor, also confirmed the latest development in a telephone interview.
Mr Obalola said the university’s earlier position was based on the health of the students and the university as a whole. He said many parents had approached the institution to suggest the option of providing personal mattresses for their wards as a solution to the degenerating unhygienic situation in the hostels.
“We fumigate regularly but because of the attitudes of the students to the public facilities, we realised fumigation hasn’t really helped. So the idea of personal provision of mattresses was just something we thought could make the owners to be responsible enough and care for what they own,” Mr Obalola said.
Earlier position
In a directive signed by Mr Obalola, the university had announced that the hostel allocation exercise would commence on Monday, 23 October.
The memo said successful candidates would be required to come with their mattresses covered with macintosh, adding that students should pay their fees and register some courses for the session.
Confirming the development, Adejoke Alaga-Ibrahim, the institution’s spokesperson, told PREMIUM TIMES Thursday that the university’s decision was solely based on hygiene and health reasons.
Mrs Alaga-Ibraheem said the university was very concerned about the safety of the students, and that only health safety could guarantee sound teaching and learning.