Uites Decry Basic dues Increment Proposal

 

By Sanni Juliet Oluwadarapupo 

A letter containing a proposed increment in basic hall due was dropped on the desk of the Student Representative Council, (SRC) by the Council of Hall Chairpersons (COHC), on the 30th of March, 2025. This proposal has ignited controversies amongst Uites.

In the letter, a N2,000 increment in the current N3,000 basic hall dues was proposed. In other words, students occupying Halls of Residence in UI will pay N5,000 as basic hall due when checking in for the new session.

The letter titled “Notification of Proposed Increment in Basic Hall Dues” reads, 

“The Council of Hall Chairpersons (COHC) writes to formally notify the Student Representative Council (SRC) of our proposal to increase the basic hall dues for students across all halls of residence from Three Thousand Naira (N3,000) to Five Thousand Naira (N5,000)”

This proposed increment was stated to have been carefully considered in light of rising maintenance costs, improved hall services, and the need to enhance the overall welfare of students in their respective halls.

They further stated that the current basic dues of N3000 is no longer commensurate with the needs of the Halls. Therefore, the approval of the SRC is being sought.

WHAT THE STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY

Before the proposal, UI students occupying school hostels were paying a sum of N3,000 which covered the welfare of students as a whole. Towards the end of second semester, a souvenir in form of a book is given to the residents. A student who pleaded anonymity expressed her thoughts on the issue. In her words, 

“I am thinking they should wait to see if the hostel fees will be increased before they increase the hall dues because we can't be thinking of hall fee increment then we will also be thinking of hall dues. That N5,000 is too much. I heard a rumor that hostel fees might increase, if they increase the dues they must give us more than book ooo”

In a chat with this anonymous source, a resident of one of the school hostels opined that the increment in basic hall due should be on hold as there is a tendency for the hall fees to be increased. Having to deal with an increased hall fee and hall dues put students on a thin line. She also stressed that if the proposal is approved, then the hall package (book) must also be reviewed.

Another anonymous source mentioned that, 

“I feel like there is no need for the hall due to be increased, I mean N5,000 is a lot of money. What is the guarantee that they would work towards it or is there any new change they want to implement with the extra N2,000 that we have not seen? Even if they want to increase it, it should be implemented on the incoming Freshers and not on stalites and finalists”

The basic hall dues covers different aspects of students welfare, ranging from the standard of living to the availability and access to essential resources such as water, light, healthcare etc. 

Owing to the current economic climate and the ever-worsening inflation, the price of goods and services have skyrocketed, leaving everyone to struggle with the cost of living. University of Ibadan is no exception to this change. The cost of education is on the rise as school fees and other essential expenses have taken an upward dive. 

Speaking with the Press, Prince aired his concerns about the economic situation of the country. He mentioned that the cost of basic needs and services increase by the day and it is only expected that the old fees are reviewed. He considered the need for the basic hall dues to be increased for the effective sustainability of students. However, he cautioned that there must be obvious improvements to show for that change.

“For me, I feel like everything has increased and that is not the school’s fault but the economy we have found ourselves in. The increment is necessary to keep up with the rising cost of things. However, people will not have to pay more for something and not see changes, I mean in terms of water, maintenance, rooms and the like”.

The Press reached out to the Chairperson of the COHC, Anifowose Nofisat, to know the reason for the proposed increase and if the SRC has approved a formal discussion with the COHC. She stated that the proposed increase was a collaborative decision made by the COHC given that the current due, N3000 is insufficient to meet the students’ needs. According to her, the SRC is yet to hold a formal discussion with them but it is under consideration.

“The rationale behind this proposed adjustment is rooted in our collective commitment to enhancing the student experience within our halls. The current dues, which have remained at 3,000 naira, are increasingly challenging to maintain…We believe that a modest adjustment, if approved, would enable us to significantly improve the services and amenities provided to students across all halls"

The increase in basic hall due from N3,000 to N5,000 has everyone talking. The additional N2,000 put some students on edge, making them worry about their financial burden. Everyone is left wondering what this proposed increase aims to achieve. Will the maintenance and standard of living really improve? Will the latter change be more visible than the former? Will the change cut across the hall packages? These are just a few of the many questions that linger in the mind of the students.

WHAT WE DO NOT SEE

Careful deliberation on this proposed increment points the compass in only one direction, disaster. A disaster not loud or explosive, but one so subtly crafted that it threatens to uproot the stability and sanity of ordinary students like us. The concern is not merely about financial adjustment; it is the quiet onset of an unmistakable economic strain. Even without revisiting Nigeria’s long, troubled economic history, the past five years alone have shown a staggering rise in the cost of living, one that has pushed many to the brink of desperation. Rice, for instance, once a staple that cost five hundred naira, now sells for an alarming two thousand five hundred naira, inching dangerously close to a tenfold increase. It is a reality that forces us to confront the hardship of the present while anxiously glancing toward an increasingly uncertain future.

Against this backdrop, one must again consider the situation of the typical university student. If this proposed increase in basic dues is implemented, the privileged may shrug it off and mutter, “It is only two thousand naira.” However, to the average student, that same amount can, with an extra five hundred naira needed, afford a congo of rice, food that could sustain someone for nearly a week, barring cases of excessive consumption. And in truth, a well-fed student is not merely nourished; they are better positioned to study, think, and thrive. Overlooking this “small” increment, therefore, would be a grave mistake. The declining economy of the country reflects itself in the university system, and ultimately, in the day-to-day lives of the students who struggle to adapt to rising costs. This raises crucial questions: Is this increment genuinely necessary? Could it have been avoided? What pressing need gives rise to it? And most importantly, what tangible improvements will students experience in exchange for this additional burden?

These questions linger, rising through conversations, hostels, lecture halls, and quiet moments of reflection. Yet, despite our inquiries, the clarity we seek remains hidden. The answers may only reveal themselves at the close of this session we have barely begun. Until then, we are left to wait, to observe, and to hope. Patience, though an expensive virtue in times like these, becomes one we must reluctantly adopt in this university of ours.

Taking a closer look at this microcosm, in the 2023/24 session, as a less-than-a-year administration, two distinct protests were held. One in disagreement to the revised electricity bill and the other in complete defiance to the restructured fee system. This had been expected by all, as the hashtags “Say No To Fee Hike” had hit every social media platform like a desperate wave, but when a deadline was set to urge students to pay what they do not possess, the grounds broke. 

If students, in a bid to survive, could protest in a school like ours, they protest not for the want but for the need — the need to just survive. It is then compulsory for the council to reflect. If the same students could protest the fee hike, do they not see this as a complete punishment? The mandate is a quite simple, but made unnecessarily complex, one. To live is to be and to be is to afford these basic amenities. So it is of utmost importance we ask, is this increment really what we need? 

The cost of living is high and all sectors are being affected. No doubt there was a proposed increment in basic hall dues by the COHC. Like Prince said, “we will not have to pay more and not see visible changes”.

While the COHC awaits a formal discussion with the SRC to discuss the proposed increment and its potential benefits, the student body expects a positive outcome.