82 Days of Darkness: Brownites, Falasaites, and Uites Take to the Streets of Ibadan in Protest

82 Days of Darkness: Brownites, Falasaites, and Uites Take to the Streets of Ibadan in Protest

The morning air was thick with determination and pent-up frustration as students and residents of Alexander Brown Hall (ABH) and Ayodele Falase Postgraduate Hall joined forces with student leaders from the University of Ibadan. Together, they marched to demand immediate intervention after enduring an unprecedented 82 days of blackout. What began as quiet suffering escalated into a united call for justice as the protesters took to the streets to ensure their voices were heard by the general public and relevant stakeholders.

The Catalyst for the Uprising

For nearly three months, the residents of ABH and Falase Hall had endured what felt like an unending nightmare. A complete blackout that has disrupted every facet of their lives, turning what was already a demanding academic environment into an unbearable ordeal. Students were forced to study for critical exams in complete darkness and access to water has become an unattainable luxury.

The blackout not only affected students but also staff, patients at the University College Hospital (UCH), and business owners who relied on electricity to sustain their livelihoods. Despite numerous appeals to the UCH management, the College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan (COM-UI), the University of Ibadan administration, and even the Federal Government, no tangible solutions were provided.

“This isn’t just frustrating; it’s dehumanizing,” lamented a final-year medical student. “Do they know what it’s like to wake up every day knowing you won’t have light or water? We can’t keep living like refugees. We deserve better.”
For many, the blackout was the last straw in a series of systemic neglects. The inaction of the authorities left residents feeling abandoned, with their basic needs and dignity disregarded.

The March for Change

The protest commenced at approximately 7:35 a.m. yesterday, January 22nd, with the UCH main entrance serving as the gathering point. The crowd quickly swelled as students and concerned citizens joined forces, united by a shared purpose: to demand their fundamental right to essential amenities.
Placards bearing bold messages such as “UCH Give Us Light,” “Fix the Light, Fix Our Future,”and “82+ Days Blackout: We Are Suffering” painted a vivid picture of the frustration felt by the community.

The protesters moved through key locations around UCH, including Total Garden, the State Secretariat, and the Federal Secretariat, determined to reach those in power.
Media outlets, including Channels TV and Arise TV, were on hand to capture the historic demonstration, ensuring that the plight of the protesters reached a national audience. Security personnel and police officers were also present to maintain order.

Voices from the Protest

The emotions during the protest were palpable. Olamide, a 500-level medical student articulated the collective frustration of the students:
“Because of this blackout, the educational system within UCH is very bad, medical and non-medical students are struggling in their hostels, doctors are leaving because of the hardship they’re facing, even to treat patients, many patients have died, we are contributing money among ourselves to pump water, we can’t charge, and the school does not care about us. We have tests, we have exams, we have presentations, and these things are necessary for our academic growth, yet they’re continuing the academic work without even thinking about how we’re surviving”.

Another respondent, Babatunde, a 400-level medical student, emphasized the broader implications of the crisis: “This protest is long overdue and the fact that we’re doing it now, it’s never too late. I believe with the media coverage we’ve had since the beginning, all stakeholders will be duly informed about our mass action today. Also, I’m using this medium to sensitive the public that, they shouldn’t keep quiet and that this struggle is not just the struggle of the students. Imagine the foremost hospital in the country being in darkness for over 80 days. So, it’s something that should be declared a state of emergency. And considering that, it’s not just UCH that is affected. We have so many teaching hospitals in the country affected. We have so many tertiary institutions affected. So, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, we call on the minister of power, and other concerned stakeholders to swing into action, so that this problem can be solved completely. And at the same time, we call on the government and the ministry of power that, there should be immediate implementation of the 50% electricity subsidy granted to hospitals”.

His words were echoed by many others who highlighted the ripple effect of the crisis, from compromised healthcare delivery to the daily struggles of students trying to maintain academic performance in such dire conditions.

The Breaking Point

Months of silence and broken promises had led to this breaking point. The Students leaders had written formal letters, held discussions, and tried to negotiate with the UCH and UI management, all to no avail.

Doctors struggled to treat patients without stable electricity and it is putting a lot of lives at risk. Meanwhile, stress levels among students soared as they juggled academic pressures with the added burden of surviving without basic amenities.

“We feel abandoned,” said a final-year student. “How do they expect us to survive like this? We can’t even focus on our studies because we’re too busy worrying about light and water. This is an insult to our dignity.”

Negotiations and Promises

The protest culminated in a meeting with officials at the Federal Secretariat. Among those present were Engr. Kayode Ibrahim (Federal Controller of Works, Oyo State), Dr. Olabode Ladipo (Head of Federal Health Service, Oyo State), and Mr. Adejire Adewole Solomon (Federal Controller of Housing, Oyo State). Although the absence of the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, was a disappointment, assurances were given that power would be restored within days.
“UCH will have power restored on or before Friday, and I will personally ensure the sustainability of this resolution,” Mr. Adewole promised.

At the state level, Fatai Owoseni, the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Seyi Makinde, also pledged the governor’s intervention. While these assurances offered a glimmer of hope, many protesters remained skeptical, given the history of unfulfilled promises.

A Conditional Truce

With these promises, the protesters agreed to suspend their demonstration temporarily. However, they issued a stern warning: if power was not restored by the promised deadline, they would return to the streets in even greater numbers.
“This is not just about today; it’s about our future,” declared a student leader. “If nothing changes, we’ll be back on Monday, stronger and louder.”
The protest may have ended, but the spirit of resistance remained alive. The students made it clear that they would not be silenced until tangible actions were taken.

The Pain of Waiting

As the days pass, the residents of Alexander Brown Hall, Ayodele Falase Hall, and the UCH community wait anxiously. The promises of officials hang in the air, fragile yet hopeful. For many, the uncertainty is agonizing. Will this finally mark the beginning of change, or will it be yet another chapter in a long history of neglect?
The silence of the blackout still looms, but so does the determination of those who refuse to be ignored. Whether this movement leads to lasting change or becomes a rallying call for something even greater, one thing is certain: the voices of these students have ignited a spark that will not be extinguished until light is restored.