A keynote address by Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, was abruptly moved off the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) campus on April 25. The event, part of the International Leadership Conference and promoted for weeks by student groups, was relocated to Ibadan late Friday, with organizers citing ‘circumstances beyond control.’
OAU management claimed they had not received prior notice necessary for security arrangements, while Obi highlighted that this marks the latest in a pattern of more than 10 canceled or relocated events, including at his alma mater, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). He contrasted these cancellations with the warm receptions he has received abroad at prestigious institutions such as Harvard and Oxford.
The conflicting explanations have intensified debate over free expression and political engagement on Nigerian campuses, especially as the 2027 elections approach. Obi used the occasion to urge universities to remain open forums for diverse ideas and democratic discourse.
