The transportation system at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, remains a source of tension between students and management following a 72-hour lecture boycott that ended on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The protest, initiated on April 14, stemmed from student dissatisfaction with the implementation of a new campus transport system introduced in April, despite the donation of mass transit buses and eco-friendly tricycles by Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in November 2025. Students, represented by the Students' Union Public Relations Officer, Oreoluwa Joseph Olowosile, praised the innovation but criticized its delayed rollout and inadequate operational capacity. They cited long queues, overcrowding, and insufficient vehicles to serve the campus population, estimated at over 50,000, including at least 40,000 students.
The union is calling for either a return to the previous system, which allowed Town-Gboro buses and Okadas, or a hybrid model until the new system is fully functional. University authorities, through Public Relations Officer Abiodun Olarewaju, maintain that the old system posed safety risks and disrupted academic activities, justifying its discontinuation. Olowosile emphasized that while students support progress, the abrupt switch without sufficient infrastructure has caused hardship. Compliance with the boycott was approximately 80%, reflecting widespread frustration. As of Friday, April 17, no negotiations had resumed, with both sides holding firm to their positions.
The Students' Union praises Senator Oluremi Tinubu's donated transport fleet while blaming the university for its failed rollout, yet continues to demand a return to Okadas—vehicles the First Lady's donation was meant to replace. This contradiction leaves students bearing the burden of a transition that honors neither the intent of the donation nor their daily mobility needs. With over 40,000 students affected, the unresolved crisis disrupts academic routines and exposes the cost of poor implementation planning. No side offers a working solution for those walking long distances or waiting hours for an electric tricycle that may not arrive.
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