A 300-level philosophy student at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), who was reported missing for several weeks, has reappeared.
Aworetan Oluwashina clarified that he was not actually missing, rather the astronomical increase in tuition pushed him into vanishing to hustle for the money.
It was reported on March 7 that Oluwashina’s family expressed worry over his sudden disappearance after he had not been seen by his classmates for over two weeks.
The student’s elder brother, Aworetan Soji, who confirmed his disappearance also said that the family did not know about his whereabouts. He said his younger brother had not been taking examinations in school before he went missing.
Oluwashina who suddenly resurfaced granted an interview with Segun O’Law of Objective TV, where he recounted how he initially dropped out of Olabisi Onabanjo University over a tuition hike and gained admission into the University of Lagos.
He said when he encountered the same problem in his new school, he was forced to go into the streets of Lagos to hustle for his tuition.
He said; “When I was declared missing, I was actually out there at Ikotun. I went to work. I was trying to gather the rest of my school fees. The reason people could not get in touch with me was because my line was barred and I was so into the work that I did not try to get a new SIM card.”
When asked the kind of work he was doing and if he had been able to raise the money he needed for his tuition, he said he came across a number of options.
His words; “I was coming from the library very close to university junction and I saw a job vacancy for a house help and the salary was N40,000.
“I called the number on the post and a girl answered and told me the interview was the next day. I went there and it turned out to be a network marketing job. I felt like I could just do it for a few weeks and see what I would be able to gather.
“I didn’t want to leave it and start looking for another job because I know I have limited time. After three weeks or thereabouts, I called my mother when I got a new SIM card. We spoke and she was really asking where I was and I told her I was fine.
“But she never mentioned to me that they had been looking for me. The next day my brothers called me and asked where I was. The DSA (Dean of Student Affairs) of the university also called me and asked where I was.”
Oluwashina, however, admitted that he had not been able to raise the required money and that he missed some of his examinations.
