UNILAG Students Postpone Event After Intense Pressure From Management Over Sowore’s Invitation

The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, UNILAG branch has suspended its planned academic seminar after intense pressure from the school management.

The MSSN-UNILAG had invited Omoyele Sowore, founder of SaharaReporters who is also an alumnus of the school, as a guest speaker but the decision was met with anger on the part of the school management.

The MSSN-UNILAG had on Thursday informed Sowore of the decision to remove him from the programme and schedule him for another based on an instruction from the school management.

Sources said the school threatened to punish the President of the association, Salaudeen Hassan Taiwo, and also suspend the students’ religious body if they decide to carry on with the programme.

A source said, “The body has already sent a letter to Sowore informing him not to come because the management does not want him but they (management) insisted that we must postpone it because Sowore might ignore the letter and decide to attend.”

However, in a new publication, the body stated that the invitation of Sowore coincide with the #RevolutionNow movement Sowore is planning.

President of the body said, “This is due to the recent negative media coverage caused by a hijack by the revolution now movement. This is a total diversion from the aims, objectives and problems the seminar sought to address.

“His participation in our event has been hijacked, politicised and taken out of the context of our original programme.  

“We thought this is inappropriate given the prevailing political situation and insecurity in the country. Given this development, we regret to inform our members, guests, participants and concerned parents that the program has been postponed indefinitely. We deeply regret any inconveniences the decision might have caused the general public.”

Sowore is spearheading nationwide protests against the Nigerian establishment tagged ‘#RevolutionNow Days of Rage’ scheduled for August 5, 2019.