Students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, have intensified pressure on the institution’s management as they poured onto the streets in a mass protest over what they describe as worsening welfare and academic conditions on campus.

Led by the Students’ Union, the protesters marched from the main gate and strategic points within the university, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards that highlighted grievances over transportation, accommodation and the school’s malfunctioning e-portal.

Union leaders said the action was the outcome of a congress held at Awo Café, where students overwhelmingly endorsed a campus-wide demonstration. They stressed that the protest was designed to be peaceful and rooted in the long-standing tradition of non-violent agitation at the institution.

In a statement signed by Students’ Union President, Adelani David, and General Secretary, Habeeb Oke Isa, the union said it intended to block major roads and gates leading to the campus until concrete steps were taken to address students’ demands. The statement urged students to participate “actively and responsibly” while maintaining order.

The protest is the latest flashpoint in a simmering crisis triggered by transport reforms, accommodation disputes and digital disruptions. Students have complained of long queues and delays after the university introduced compressed natural gas-powered buses and tricycles as the sole means of intra-campus transport. While the initiative was billed as a modern, eco-friendly upgrade, many students say the rollout has been chaotic, with insufficient vehicles and rigid restrictions on other transport options.

Accommodation has also become a flashpoint. In an earlier statement, the union rejected a planned mid-semester evacuation of residents from Awolowo Hall Blocks 7 and 8 for renovation, arguing that the move lacked adequate notice, clear planning or alternative housing for displaced students.

Compounding the frustration is an ongoing upgrade of the university’s e-portal, which students say has left them unable to register courses or access results weeks into the semester. The union warned that the digital bottleneck is disrupting academic planning and heightening anxiety.

While reiterating its commitment to peaceful engagement, the Students’ Union accused the management of failing to act with urgency. It said students “cannot continue to watch” as basic academic and welfare needs remain unmet, insisting that the responsibility now lies with the authorities to provide “concrete, workable and immediate solutions.”