Frustrated and Exhausted: The Struggles Faced by Staylites in Securing Hostel Accommodation

By: Esther Ilori

Leshi Taiwo, a 400-level student from Queen Elizabeth II Hall, feels “uncomfortable and inconvenient”, because she had to commute from home daily amidst expensive transportation costs. “This daily commute can be exhausting”, she lamented. However, Leshi is not the only student in this situation.

The 22nd of April 2025 marked the commencement of classes for the 2024/2025 academic session at the University of Ibadan. The academic calendar stating this was released before the 2023/2024 session ended. Despite that, the accommodation list for Staylites was released quite late. This has created a situation where students are struggling to get accommodation in their various halls when they should be preparing for classes.

Students who have nowhere to stay on campus or close to the University are left with no choice but to come from home despite the long distances, while others struggle to find temporary accommodation. This situation has caused frustration and discomfort among students, affecting their academic lives.

Abigeal Okunola, a 300-level student from Queen Idia Hall, expressed frustration. “Coming from home is not easy for me. Sometimes I couldn’t attend classes to save on transportation costs.” Azeez Yusuff attributed the effect of the late release of accommodation lists to his lateness to class. Daniel Orekoya admitted that his academic life was also affected. These scenarios highlight the financial burden and academic impact of delayed accommodation lists.

This situation distorts student plans and can lead to physical and mental health issues. Another 200-level student from Queen Idia Hall shared her struggles: “I’ve been squatting and experiencing inconsistent sleep due to the delay in accommodation lists.” Oluwaseun Fatope, a 300-level student from Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, credited brotherhood for providing temporary accommodation: “I would have been homeless if not for brotherhood.” Azeez Yusuff, a 200-level student from Independence Hall, described the experience as “tough and bad.” Daniel Orekoya, also from Independence Hall, hoped for a faster process.

Some of the students complained that the struggle to balance academics with registration issues is overwhelming. For Abigeal Okunola, to complete her registration, she had to skip classes, giving the reason that she wanted to get there early and complete her registration. A 200-level student said she could not attend classes, “I miss lots of classes.”

All the students interviewed admitted that they have received accommodation updates from their hostel, except for Azeez Yusuff and Daniel Orekoya, who are both from Independence Hall. This lack of communication can lead to anxiety and uncertainty among the students

Students proposed various suggestions for preventing issues like this in the future. Abigeal Okunola suggested that hostel allocation should be done online, “hall wardens should be in charge of only room allocations”. Leshi Taiwo believes that starting early is the solution to prevent this issue from recurring.

Oluseun Fatope also recommended that clearance for finalists and freshers should be done early, to ensure a smooth transition into the new academic session. Azeez Yusuff advised that the whole process of hostel registration should be well structured.

Another 200-level student hopes that the University of Ibadan hostels can do better with accommodation, adding that most students come from far places, and sleeping outside or in inappropriate places is not good enough.