The College of Nursing Sciences (CONS), Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, has withdrawn the admission and studentship of Seluwa Oluwaseun Vincent, a 300-level student, following his protest against a controversial hike in hostel accommodation fees.
Vincent was earlier suspended indefinitely in January 2025 after challenging the school’s decision to increase hostel fees from N100,000 to a staggering N280,000 per bed space. The latest development, conveyed in a letter dated April 7, 2025, and signed by Acting Registrar Abe L.O., formally terminates his studentship, citing fresh allegations of misconduct during the suspension period.
According to the withdrawal letter, Vincent’s actions violated Section 5.6 of the institution’s Student Information Handbook, 2023 Edition, which mandates students to “respect constituted authority.” The college accused him of gross misconduct and breaching his matriculation oath, thereby justifying the expulsion.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Vincent had been accused of refusing to vacate an off-campus hostel, and of verbally assaulting the institution’s Student Affairs Officer (SAO), Mrs. Adaramola Bukola Ayodele. Vincent, however, denied all allegations, describing them as a targeted campaign of victimisation orchestrated by Ayodele for his stand against the fee hike.
He further accused Ayodele of defamation and character assassination, alleging that she called him mentally unstable and labeled him a “mad person” before the college’s management and disciplinary panel.
Following his suspension, Vincent petitioned the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, decrying what he termed as sustained harassment, threats of expulsion, and a pattern of intimidation by the college authorities, particularly the SAO, Mrs. Ayodele, whom he accused of acting with the full backing of the Provost, Dr. Olabisi Awe.
Vincent’s concerns gained traction among parents of other students, many of whom condemned the fee hike as unjustifiable. In a virtual meeting held on April 6, they rejected the proposed N280,000 hostel fee—recommended by the State House of Assembly—and demanded an end to the intimidation of students who spoke up about substandard hostel conditions.
They cited serious health and safety hazards in the newly inaugurated N800 million hostel complex, including overcrowded rooms measuring only 6×8 feet that house four students, and the dangerous installation of multiple gas cylinders in a single asbestos-roofed kitchen. The meeting concluded with a joint resolution urging the state government to intervene decisively.
The parents’ fears were soon confirmed. A damning video surfaced showing heavy leakage in the new hostel barely six months after it was commissioned by Governor Biodun Oyebanji in October 2024. The footage, shared by a concerned parent, revealed rainwater pouring through the ceilings, soaking students’ beds and personal items.
Meanwhile, a chorus of student voices has grown louder, accusing SAO Ayodele of systemic bullying, physical assault, verbal abuse, and even unlawful invasion of privacy. Several students claim to have been slapped or threatened, with reports of the SAO demanding access to their private phones and chats—without legal authority.
Despite repeated complaints, students allege that school management has remained silent, further fuelling allegations of institutional complicity.
As public scrutiny intensifies, the expulsion of Seluwa Vincent—a former Students’ Union Government Public Relations Officer—has become emblematic of broader issues within the institution, where dissent is reportedly met with punishment and voices demanding accountability are suppressed.
The unfolding situation has raised serious concerns over governance, accountability, and the welfare of students in tertiary institutions across the country.
PIONEER NEWS 