OAU Students Launch 72-Hour Lecture Boycott Over Bus Crisis as Tinubu-Donated Fleet Fails to Meet Demand

**TL;DR**: Students at Obafemi Awolowo University have launched a 72-hour lecture boycott after a fleet of 50 buses and 30 tricycles donated by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu failed to meet transportation demand for over 35,000 students.

The Students' Union instructed members to boycott all academic activities from Monday through Thursday, April 13-16, 2026. The decision followed a week of observation and a joint meeting of the Central Executive Council, Hall Executive Council, and Students' Representative Council leadership.

The university deployed the vehicles last week after the First Lady's donation was announced. University spokesperson Abiodun Olarewaju appealed to union leadership to allow management time to resolve emerging issues.

Union President Adelani David and Secretary Habeeb Oke issued a statement detailing persistent problems: inadequate campus coverage, chronic driver and vehicle shortages, severe overcrowding, and unreliable service. Students described conditions as untenable.

The union presented four demands: immediate provision of more vehicles to serve the entire student population, restoration of the previous transport system until additional buses arrive, proper implementation ensuring adequate, affordable, and reliable intra-campus mobility, and mandatory consultation with union leadership before any future transportation changes.

Leadership warned that a potential mass protest will be considered if demands remain unmet after the 72-hour boycott period.

The boycott places pressure on university management to demonstrate the donated fleet can serve a student body exceeding 35,000. How quickly officials respond to union demands will determine whether the protest escalates.