By Ayotomiwa Mayomi.
Adekunle Ajasin University Student Union (AAUASU) government expressed its plans to fight the rising cost of house rent affecting students' welfare during a plenary meeting in the presence of various stakeholders, political leaders, and students on November 7, 2026, at the school's Old Relaxation Center.
Following the report, the AAUASU President, Folagbade Greatness highlighted students' role in allowing landlords to set rental payments. He acknowledged the presence of the Director of Housing and Accommodation, Olatigbe Olaniyi Daniel, and noted that the committee has been actively working to address the rise in the cost of house rent.
“The committee has been trying to curb the house rent issues and it seems our effort is not visible enough” he said.
Director Olatigbe proposed that all agents and houses be registered to facilitate the identification of landlords associated with concerning activities. He also recommended organizing a protest that would engage stakeholders and students, along with a visit to the king’s palace (Alale of Akungba) as a potential resolution to the emerging issues.
“Probably every house should be registered and all agents should get registered. We’ll be able to identify the thief among them” Olatigbe said.
The AAUASU president acknowledged Olatigbe's commitment to the issue and agreed to the proposal of registering houses and agents as entities while scheduling a visit to the King's palace on the 9th and 10th of November 2026.
“It is good to make a significant move now. I suggest we create a Google Form so that all students can register their villa, including the name of the street, caretaker’s information, current and previous house rent, and a review of the room if it suits the house rent. We should also create a committee to regulate access to the room. I feel we should start a protest and release a flyer containing exhortations and warnings about bad agents across the whole of Akungba”
I think on Monday and Tuesday we should go and meet the king and also have meetings with the villa president.” He said.
After his deliberations, the president announced a decision to release a Google form for all students to register their houses. This initiative as claimed by him is to provide the Student Union Government (SUG) with information to address the underlying issues effectively and engage with house agents and landlords physically. Additionally, he stated that a memorandum and flyer would be distributed to outline students' concerns in support of the upcoming protest.
“Let’s hit the community” he said.
The Student Union Government(SUG) thereby took a step to appoint new executives to alleviate the workload for the current members.
Additionally, Comrade Olatigbe nominated seven individuals for consideration for inclusion in the committee. This expansion is anticipated to enhance the committee's ability to address accommodation-related challenges and promote broader student participation.
During the meeting, the president noted the low engagement and encouraged students to participate in discussions that would lead to effective solutions for issues affecting them.
Other topics addressed included delays in payments by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), speculation regarding school fees, and concerns about a potential increase in tuition and other institutional charges for nursing students.
