Authorities at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife have declined to make Oduduwa Hall available for a proposed lecture by former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate during the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, citing insufficient prior notification and the inability to complete essential security and logistical arrangements.
In a press statement issued on Monday, the university management said a student group had invited Mr Obi, a two-term governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election, without duly informing authorities of the guest’s high-profile status until Friday, just one day before the scheduled event.
“Events involving high-profile personalities of such standing require adequate prior notification to the university authorities because it will enable the institution to make necessary logistical and security arrangements, including proper liaison with relevant security agencies such as the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), in order to ensure the safety of the guest, members of the university community and the general public,” the statement said.
As a result, the university could not approve the use of Oduduwa Hall. The decision was taken “purely in the interest of safety, orderliness and adherence to established protocols governing the use of University facilities,” it added.
The statement, released by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, stressed that the move was not a reflection of any disregard for Mr Obi, whom the institution holds in high esteem. Vice-Chancellor Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire remains committed to supporting intellectual engagements and hosting distinguished personalities, provided due process is followed and adequate notice is given, the statement concluded.
The clarification came after Mr Obi expressed concern on Saturday over what he described as a recurring pattern of last-minute cancellations of his university lectures across Nigeria. In a statement posted on X, he said he had been scheduled to deliver a keynote lecture at OAU at 9am on Saturday before proceeding to Ibadan for an opposition parties’ political summit at noon, only to learn at short notice that the event would not hold as planned.
Mr Obi noted that the invitation had been extended several months earlier and that preparations had been completed. He warned that similar cancellations had occurred more than ten times in recent months, describing the trend as “no longer incidental” but “a troubling pattern that should concern all well-meaning Nigerians.” He contrasted the situation in Nigeria with his recent lectures at prestigious international institutions, including Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard universities, where such engagements had proceeded without hindrance.
