A Federal High Court in Ibadan has temporarily overturned the disqualification of Nice Linus Adaoma, a 300-level Law student at the University of Ibadan (UI), from serving as a majority leader in the Students’ Representative Council (SRC). The decision follows a legal challenge against the university’s Deputy Registrar (Students), Mr. T.I. Musa, who unilaterally disqualified Linus.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, Justice U.N. Agomoh granted an ex-parte application suspending the disqualification until the court case is concluded. The suit, numbered FHC/IB/CS/23/2025, seeks to nullify the university’s decision, which was initially communicated through an internal memorandum dated March 4, 2025.
According to the court order, Linus is permitted to pursue five reliefs, including reinstatement and a review of the university’s regulations regarding student eligibility for elected positions. The order also acts as an injunction, freezing the university’s decision until a motion on notice is heard.
Following the ex-parte ruling, Linus filed a motion on notice on March 26, 2025, formally challenging her disqualification. The University of Ibadan, Vice-Chancellor, and Mr. T.I. Musa have been listed as respondents in the case, which is scheduled for hearing on April 2, 2025, at the Federal High Court, Ibadan Judicial Division.
Background: Disqualification and Student Activism
Linus’ disqualification was originally conveyed to the then-SRC Speaker, Opegbemi Busoye Matthias, via a memorandum signed by Mr. Musa, who also serves as Chairman of the UI Students’ Union Electoral Commission. The document stated that Linus was ineligible due to a pending disciplinary case, despite the fact that such regulations had not been formally communicated to the Students’ Union.
The university’s memo named Miss Olaleye Abolaji Joy, the runner-up in the SRC election, as Linus’ replacement as majority leader for Obafemi Awolowo Hall. The ruling has sparked concerns over procedural fairness, especially considering that Linus and two other students—Aduwo Ayodele and Olamide Gbadegesin—had reportedly faced victimization for protesting a tuition hike introduced in the 2023/24 academic session.
The Root of the Matter: A Protest and Its Consequences
The controversy traces back to May 13, 2024, when Linus and her colleagues staged a peaceful protest during the inauguration of the Aweda Bolaji-led Students’ Union, opposing what they described as an unjustified increase in tuition fees. Security forces swiftly removed them from the venue and handed them over to the Nigerian army, drawing widespread condemnation.
By July 2024, the trio were summoned before a fact-finding panel of the Students’ Disciplinary Committee, but their case has since been stalled, raising concerns about due process and fair treatment.
Human Rights Organizations Condemn University’s Actions
Several international human rights groups, including Amnesty International, Global Human Rights, and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), have criticized the university’s handling of the matter. Amnesty International, in particular, called on UI to abandon its alleged plans to expel the students, arguing that institutions should protect, not punish, students for exercising their right to free expression.
“Amnesty International calls on the University of Ibadan @UniIbadan to rescind plans to expel three students for exercising their human rights by participating in a protest against an outrageous fee hike that has forced many students to withdraw from university education,” the organization wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in July 2024.
As the legal battle unfolds, the case of Nice Linus has become a focal point in the broader conversation about student rights, university governance, and the consequences of activism on Nigerian campuses.
