In April 1978, Segun Okeowo, a 29-year-old University of Lagos student and president of the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS), led a protest against a 50-kobo fee hike for hostel and meal fees. The Nigerian Universities Commission had implemented the increase, which seemed small but was seen as a sign of a government out of touch with students' reality. Okeowo and NUNS called for a nationwide boycott of lectures, starting on April 17, 1978, which was joined by students across the country.
On April 18, 1978, University of Lagos students planned a peaceful march to deliver a letter of protest to General Olusegun Obasanjo at Dodan Barracks. However, they found the main gate blocked by armed police officers, leading to a clash between unarmed students and police. The confrontation spread to surrounding streets and Yaba, with people outside the university caught up in it. State broadcasters did not report the incident, but newspapers picked up the story on April 19, 1978.
As the boycott turned into open unrest nationwide, Okeowo was coordinating from Lagos, leading a movement that had grown far beyond a fee complaint. On April 20, 1978, the situation escalated at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where soldiers moved onto the campus, resulting in the deaths of five students. The two attacks in two cities within 48 hours turned the protest into a nationwide uprising, spreading beyond students to the wider public in university towns.
The protests led to chants of "Ali Must Go," aimed at the Federal Commissioner for Education, Colonel Ahmadu Ali. Ali denied responsibility for the fee increase, stating it was a decision made by the Supreme Military Council, not his ministry. The military government responded by shutting down universities, imposing curfews, and banning NUNS. Okeowo was expelled from the University of Lagos, arrested, and held in detention for his role in the protests.
The fee increase was never reversed, and Okeowo eventually returned to a quiet life as an educationist, away from public attention, until his death in January 2014. However, the "Ali Must Go" protest showed that Nigerian students could organize across the country and force a military government to pay attention. Historians point to it as an early example of coordinated nationwide youth action that resurfaced during the #EndSARS protests in 2020.
The nationwide student protests, sparked by a 50-kobo fee hike, had a lasting impact on Nigeria's protest history. The protests demonstrated the power of student organization and the ability to bring attention to grievances, even if they did not result in immediate concessions. The legacy of the protests can be seen in later movements, such as the #EndSARS protests.
The story of Segun Okeowo and the 1978 student protests serves as a significant moment in Nigeria's history, highlighting the struggles of students and the power of collective action. The protests marked a turning point in the relationship between students and the government, demonstrating the potential for student activism to bring about change.
Key points
- The 1978 student protests led by Segun Okeowo resulted in multiple deaths and marked a significant moment in Nigeria's protest history.
- The protests demonstrated the power of student organization and collective action in bringing attention to grievances.
- The legacy of the protests can be seen in later movements, such as the #EndSARS protests in 2020.
