Segun Okeowo's 1978 Protest Sparks Nationwide Unrest
In April 1978, Segun Okeowo, a 29-year-old University of Lagos student and president of the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS), initiated a protest against a 50-kobo increase in hostel and meal fees imposed by the Nigerian Universities Commission. The protest began with a nationwide boycott of lectures starting on April 17, 1978.
On April 18, UNILAG students attempted a peaceful march to deliver a protest letter to General Olusegun Obasanjo at Dodan Barracks but were met with armed police, leading to violent clashes. By April 19, the unrest had spread to other campuses, and on April 20, soldiers intervened at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, resulting in the deaths of five students.
The protests escalated from a fee complaint to a significant nationwide uprising, marking a pivotal moment in student activism against the military government.
Plus234Feed summary based on reporting from Pulse. Read the original report below.
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