AFAS Freshmen Laments Compulsory Imposition of Dinner Fee by Executives

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Agnes Oyedokun

In the midst of a challenging economic climate, freshmen in the Faculty of Arts and some departments are facing an unexpected financial burden: a compulsory dinner fee. This fee imposition comes at a time when families and students are grappling with increased living costs, increase in school fees and a general downturn in the economy.

Since the previous academic session, students have been experiencing successive increases in school fees. In response to these hikes, the past Students Representative Council  took a firm stance by issuing a memo. This directive emphasized that no student should be compelled to pay any additional fees beyond the essential dues, capped at a maximum of #3000.

Despite this student-centric initiative, the start of the new academic year has witnessed yet another rise in school fees. Shockingly, faculty of arts and some departments have opted to enforce mandatory dinner fees for freshmen, contravening the considerate guidelines set forth by the Student Union.

The decision to impose such fees raises pertinent questions about fairness and accessibility to education. For many students and their families, every additional expense, no matter how small it may seem, contributes to an increasingly burdensome financial load. These mandatory fees not only strain already tight budgets but also contradict the spirit of understanding and support that the student body rightfully expects from the student leaders. 

As students voice their concerns and seek clarity on these new financial obligations, it is crucial for all stakeholders to revisit the principles of affordability and inclusivity. The overarching goal should be to ensure that all students, regardless of their economic background, can pursue their academic aspirations without undue financial hardship.

When interviewed, the Assistant General Secretary of the Faculty of Arts clarified their stance: “We are not making it compulsory, we are just encouraging them to pay. We list out the things they should pay for, they should be advised to pay them.”

*Taiwo Tunde, a freshman in the department of Linguistics expressed her frustration concerning the matter, she said, “I don’t understand why the dinner fee should be made compulsory for me when I have no interest in it.Both the faculty and my department have mandated the freshers to pay for dinner. How do I tell my parents about the dinner fee when they are still looking for ways to pay my school fee? I know the fee is nothing when compared to the school fee but it does not sound rational to tell them about dinner when the school fee is currently nowhere to be found.”

*Sola Ekene, another freshman in the department of Linguistics expressed confusion and skepticism, saying, “First, what do they do at the dinner? Eating, drinking and awards? That won’t be necessary. The faculty and my department have made the dinner fees compulsory for us to pay and the deadline for my department is even on the 16th. I don’t even know what to say, I am just certain that I’ll pay at my convenient time that won’t affect me financially.”

The President of Linguistics defended their department’s decision, stating, “We are doing that to involve them and not make the social activities suffer because these students won’t pay if they are not mandated to. Students should have told me if they had difficulties paying, and we could have discussed extending the deadline. I will also discuss this with the staff adviser and get back to them.” This response implies that we should look forward to getting a positive response that would favour the financial state of the students. 

*Peace Collin from Anthropology and Archaeology commented, “Well in my department it is not compulsory but in the faculty, they said it’s compulsory. Well, I just feel like that’s school life for you… sometimes you are asked to pay for things that are unnecessary… but all hands are not equal; those that can pay should pay and vice versa.”

When contacted, AFAS President, Adeniyi Olamilekan, in his defence maintained that the executive did not make dinner compulsory for any students. “We only admonished the fresh students to pay for either dinner or a shirt alongside their basic dues. It was a sincere appeal to them, making them realize the importance of these contributions. Because we understand the state of the economy, we appealled to them that if all can’t be afforded, at least one out of it should be paid for as their own quota to contribute to the progress and unity of the Faculty. However, despite our pleas, we still had numbers of freshmen who insisted on paying only basic dues and ID card, which we received from them,” he said.

Responding to queries about the clarity of their communication regarding optional fees sent out via a special release, the President added, “No, we didn’t indicate if any is compulsory or any is optional. But, I understand your concern. To avoid ambiguity, the PRO will indicate in subsequent releases.”

*Bolanle Durojaiye, in response to the mandatory dinner fee imposed by the faculty, a student from the English department shared her opinion, revealing that their receipt was withheld at the secretariat due to non-payment for dinner. She expressed skepticism regarding the administration’s intentions, dismissing the fee imposition as not outright coercion but rather a strategy aimed at influencing student behavior. “I don’t exactly see it as them forcing us to pay, by the way,” she remarked, “I just see it as a market strategy just to make us pay since they asked us to come back later for the receipt. They are just trying to make us change our minds to see if we’ll pay for the dinner.”

This sentiment underscores broader concerns among students about the transparency and fairness of such financial mandates within the faculty. Many students like Bolanle, already burdened by rising tuition costs and economic uncertainties, perceive additional fees as tactics designed to compel compliance rather than genuine contributions to educational or social enhancement initiatives. As debates continue over the ethics and practical implications of compulsory fees, voices like that of Bolanle highlight the need for clearer communication and greater student involvement in decisions affecting their financial obligations and campus experience.

In conclusion, while there are economic challenges in different departments that might want them to seek different opportunities to get funds, it is imperative that such changes are made with sensitivity to the financial realities of students. The Student Union’s previous memorandum serves as a reminder of the commitment to protect students’ interests and uphold equitable access to education. Moving forward, it is hoped that the faculty and other department forcing the freshmen to pay for dinner will put the students first and make the payment optional. 

Editor’s Note: In this article, names have been changed to protect the privacy and anonymity of individuals involved.

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