63. OAU and Nigeria's Millennial Left

In this episode which we recorded a day after the passing of Professor Biodun Jeyifo (the founding president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)), we host Juwon Sanyaolu. Juwon is a co-host of the "Voice of Workers" podcast, the national coordinator of the TakeItBack movement, and a member of the "Ogba mafia". Juwon is also a writer, literary critic, activist and a citizen reporter.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, symbolized by the fall of the so called 'Iron Curtain' , the left world-wide entered into a period of crisis and decline. There were few exceptional places in the world were local left experiments remind viable and vibrant. The Obafemi Awolowo University is one of those places. Why is that? That's the question this episode seeks to answer.

In the discussion, with one of OAU's finest, we dive into the history, volatility, grouping and current decline of student radicalism on the OAU campus.

We also cycle through bodies and organisations created and leading comrades on campus in OAU. We discuss many things such as intervention against right wing cultism, the battle against cult groups, welfare of students and other national issues. Surviving the military era, splits in student political groups and neoliberal reforms, we tackle OAU as a bastion of radicalism.

We also discuss critical events, the fading influence of radical politics, the role of OAU in off campus politics and the longer term legacy in OAU. What is it about OAU that makes it a breeding ground for leftists? How does a university meant to reproduce post-colonial elites end up having such a strong left culture?