Medical students reportedly from the University of Ibadan’s College of Medicine protested on Thursday due to a long power outage.
They blocked the office of the Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital (UCH), Professor Jesse Otegbayo, for hours, demanding electricity.
The students carried signs with messages like “100+ Days of Darkness: Save UCH” and “Medical School Is Hard Enough – Give Us Light.” UCH had been without power since October 2024 because of unpaid debts to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
The hospital was reconnected on Monday after the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, stepped in. However, student hostels remained without power.
The President of the University of Ibadan Students’ Union, Bolaji Aweda, said the protest aimed to restore electricity to the hostels.
Tijani Abdulkabir, head of the university’s campus journalists, expressed frustration that the hostels were still in darkness despite promises from the minister.
Professor Temidayo Ogundiran, the College of Medicine’s Provost, explained that UCH and the College of Medicine share the same electricity bill, which totals nearly ₦500 million.
He said power would be restored in phases, starting with areas that serve patients. He urged students to be patient while the issue is resolved.
