UNILAG Student Union President Vows to Promote Accountability, Unionism, Inclusivity

By Barakat Lawal, Happy Ajuebon, Adebisi Bolarinwa, Iman Aiyeola

The newly elected president of the University of Lagos Students’ Union (ULSU), Bolaji Akinpelu, has promised to promote accountability, unionism and inclusivity, to break from the mistakes of the past and lead an accountable administration.

In an interview with UNILAG Sun, Akinpelu noted that his administration’s priorities, placing responsible unionism and student welfare at the centre of his agenda, describing it as a fresh start for the union, after years of suspension.

“I’m aware of some of the challenges and the mistakes that occurred in the past,” he said.

“I’ve taken time to reflect on them and my goal is to learn from these experiences so we can avoid repeating them and be a more transparent, accountable and effective student union for everybody.”

Akinpelu noted that his administration aims to rebuild the union, by focusing on dialogue, rather than protests, adding that his tenure intends to change the narrative and be known for being transparent, inclusive and non-violent, peaceful dialogue and constructive criticism to avoid previous union suspension pitfalls.

“Years back, when you hear student unionism, the first thing you probably just think about is protest, violence,” he said.

Akinpelu stressed the union’s role as an advocate, bridging the gap between students and management for better decision making.

“We are going to take the demands of the students to the management: this is what we want, this is how we want it, and this is what we need,” he said.

He noted further that, the union’s authority is collaborative, rather than fully autonomous, adding that the union acts as a mediator, conveying student concerns to management, rather than overriding official policies, as areas like school fees, registration and portal reopening fall under university management jurisdiction.

Akinpelu identified hostel shortages and representation gaps as immediate concerns, noting that current hostel capacity serves less than a quarter of the student population.

To address this, he announced plans to implement quota-based allocation per faculty and class and pledged to strengthen communication between the Student Executive Council, students, and university management.

Addressing questions about the union’s election process, the president clarified that the vote was conducted through an electoral college of elected faculty presidents rather than a general student ballot — a method he acknowledged raised legitimacy concerns.

He noted that he is committed to making future electoral processes more transparent and widely publicised.

Akinpelu noted that his administration is committed to fostering a union that serves as a true voice for students and is held accountable by its constituents.

“The union belongs to every student of the University of Lagos,” he said.

“We are committed to making it a platform that truly represents every voice, every student, and that protects their interests and works actively for their welfare.”

He urged students to remain engaged, be accountable, and collaborate to create a stronger, more transparent, and responsive union for all.