UCH Blackout Day 21: Boycott Suspended as CoMUI Commits to 3-Hour Power Supply, Solar Inverter for ABH

The Management of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, has re-iterated its resolution to provide; prompt pumping of water, three hours of power supply, and the exploration of alternative power sources such as solar inverters, for the residents of the Alexander Brown Hall, in a notice circulated on Friday, 15th November, 2024, bringing an end to the three-day boycott by residents. 

The notice, which was signed by the Secretary to the College, Mr. A.E Odedele, and dated 14th November, 2024, bears the resolutions of the meeting between College Management and student representatives on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12, November, 2024. It also follows a request made by Brownites in a communique to the College and University of Ibadan Management for “receipt of the official communication of the College of Medicine and/or the University of Ibadan on the arrangements [resolutions of the third Town Hall Meeting on 13th November, 2024]” stated. 

Despite being a deviation from the exct term proposed by Brownites in their November 12, 2024 communique, the notice appears to have been assuaging. The UIMSA Press observed mostly positive reactions, by students, on the official WhatsApp pages of UIMSA and the Alexander Brown Hall. 

This notice also comes on the back of an announcement made by the ABH Executives in the late hours of Thursday, 14th November, 2024, which mentioned; generous donations to the Hall at the ICOMAA Lecture, a message from the Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, stating that “formal documentation of our [Brownite’s] requests might be delayed, as only the University Registrar can issue this, and the ongoing convocation may cause further delays”, an additional promise of a ‘solar farm’ for ABH, and ultimately enjoined Brownites to resume academic activities. 

Speaking with the Press, Chukwuemeka, a fourth-year medical student and Brownite, said, “ What I’m happy about is that Brownites can request for something and get it. The fact that we can make our voices heard and see the work, is definitely something to be glad about “. While for Elijah, also a fourth-year, “ It’s not the best we can reasonably wish for, but we would take it, rest, reconvene, and restrategize later. The progress is in the action, not the result “. 

UCH has been disconnected from the power grid since the 26th of October, 2024, the product of an outstanding bill of Three Hundred and Ninety-Two Million, Seventy-Five Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty-One Naira, Five Kobo bill owed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), as seen in the hospital’s 13th November, 2024 Press Release.