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University of Lagos (UNILAG) has officially inaugurated new members of the Students’ Union Executive Council (SUEC), signalling the restoration of student unionism suspended by the management 10 years ago.
The proscription of the Students Union Government (SUG), following the Senate approval on April 24, 2016, was hinged on intense protests by students over their welfare concerns, including water shortages and electricity supply, thereby disrupting peace as well as destruction of property on campus.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, while addressing the student leaders, including Hall Executives, and representatives of the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) programme, at the swearing-in ceremony held at Tayo Aderinokun Hall, commended the student leaders for their willingness to pioneer the return of unionism after its suspension in 2016.
She expressed appreciation to the university’s Senate for approving the reactivation of student union structures and reminded the executives that their mandate extends beyond representing students to serving the entire university community.
“We want to entrust you with the opportunity to leave behind a better institution than you met it. This calls for reflection. It is not fun being a leader, but it is rewarding, and the joy comes in retrospect,” the VC said.
Read Also: UNILAG Bans Skitmaking, Content Creation On Campus
The Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Johnson Agunsoye, said that the inauguration represents the foundational phase of a broader process leading into the 2026/2027 academic session.
He lauded the vice chancellor for approving a N5 million take-off grant, provision of temporary office space, and the ongoing refurbishment of an 18-seater bus for use by the University of Lagos Students’ Union (ULSU).
Similarly, he urged the student leaders to uphold the university’s long-standing tradition of excellence in learning and character, emphasising that leadership is anchored on integrity, humility, and responsibility.
He further charged them to prioritise dialogue over confrontation, unity over division, and progress over stagnation.
The ULSU President, Bolaji Akinpelu, who spoke on behalf of the newly inaugurated executives, described the event as a new beginning.
He declared the new ULSU executives as the “Renaissance Administration,” signalling a fresh era of quality and responsive student leadership guided by purpose.
The high point of the ceremony was the administration of the oath of office by Risqiat Usman of the university’s legal unit.
The University of Lagos, UNILAG, Akoka, has placed an official ban on skitmaking, content creation and other video recording activities within its campus and hostels without prior authorization.
The directive, announced in a statement signed by the institution’s Head of Communication, Mrs Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, follows growing concern over the increasing use of university facilities for unapproved video productions, including comedy skits, vox pops and film shoots.
“The attention of the University Management has been drawn to the rising use of the University premises, including hostels and other facilities, for shooting of films, videos, skits, and similar cinematographic activities without proper authorisation,” parts of the statement read.
According to UNILAG, the decision aims to safeguard the institution’s image, maintain decorum within the academic environment, and ensure that its premises are not misrepresented in online or public content.
The university emphasized that any individual, whether a student, staff member, or external party, must seek and obtain formal approval from the institution’s Communication Unit before carrying out any form of recording or production on campus.
While acknowledging the importance of creative expression and media engagement, UNILAG maintained that all such activities must comply with its established rules and procedures to preserve order and safety.
The statement also appealed to members of the university community and the general public to strictly adhere to the new directive “in the interest of order, safety, and collective responsibility”.
In other news, The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude negotiations with all tertiary institutions-based unions.
This was as the NLC frowned at the no-work-no-pay policy introduced by the government as a form of sanction to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities for daring to embark on a nationwide strike.
The president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero made this known in an interactive session with labour correspondents on Monday in Abuja.
