OOU fire incident destroys graduation gowns

OOU fire incident gutted Students Affairs building, destroying academic gowns. University sets up panel to investigate and enhance safety

OOU fire incident has left Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, counting its losses after a blaze gutted the Students Affairs building, destroying almost all academic and graduation gowns.

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The devastating fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, September 2, 2025, razing valuables worth millions of naira. Fortunately, no casualties were recorded.

In a statement by Dr. Wale Balogun on behalf of the Deputy Registrar, Corporate Affairs Division, the university said the quick response of the Vice-Chancellor, staff, and the Works Directorate helped prevent further damage.

“Even though, regrettably, the entire graduation gowns were completely razed by the inferno, yet there were no injuries or casualties reported,” the statement read.

The management has constituted an investigative panel, chaired by a senior professor, to probe both immediate and remote causes of the inferno.

The panel will gather facts, identify contributing factors, and recommend measures to prevent future incidents.

Members of the university community have been urged to submit memoranda via WhatsApp, email, or hard copy to aid the inquiry.

The statement further advised staff and students to be vigilant about fire safety, stressing that all electrical appliances must be unplugged and lights turned off daily to minimise risks.

The incident comes less than two years after a November 2023 fire destroyed a private hostel in Ijebu-Igbo, displacing 10 OOU students and causing them to lose personal belongings and credentials.

That fire was linked to a power surge, and Governor Dapo Abiodun had promised relief materials to the affected students.

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With the latest OOU fire incident, the institution says it is reinforcing safety protocols to protect its community and prevent recurrence.

Quadri Olaitan