UI Students Protest 82-Day Power Outage at UCH

Hundreds of students from the University of Ibadan (UI) staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday morning to express their frustration over an 82-day power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Oyo State.
UCH, which serves as the primary teaching hospital for UI medical students, has been without electricity due to debts owed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC). The hospital’s power supply was initially disconnected in November 2023 for unpaid bills and was cut off again in March 2024. The supply has yet to be restored, leaving the facility in darkness.
The protest, organized by the UI Students’ Union (SU), was led by its President, Bolaji Aweda. Speaking during the demonstration, Aweda highlighted the significant impact of the outage on students, particularly those undergoing medical training at UCH.
“We are protesting against what is happening. And, of course, our students are affected,” Aweda said. “For 82 days, there has been no light at UCH, and this is due to the inability of UCH to pay its electricity bill to IBEDC. IBEDC has demanded that UCH settle its debt before they will restore power.”
The prolonged power outage has disrupted academic activities and medical operations, drawing widespread criticism from students and staff.
The protestors called for an immediate resolution to the crisis, urging the hospital’s management and relevant authorities to prioritize the settlement of debts and ensure the restoration of electricity.
As the situation unfolds, students continue to voice concerns over the impact of the outage on their education and the hospital’s capacity to provide essential medical services.