Nigerian lawyer, Rasheedat Adeshina, tells AYOOLA OLASUPO how she embarked on a 14-year legal battle with the University of Ilorin for withholding her certificate, the struggles, sacrifices and eventual victory after a Supreme Court ruling
Can you share with us the events that made UNILORIN withhold your results and certificate?
I graduated from the University of Ilorin in 2000. Even before then, I had issues with the university administration because of my involvement in student activism. I was the Assistant Secretary-General of the Students’ Union during the 1997–1998 session, and because of my stand in defending the interests of students, I had issues with the administration.
At a point, I was suspended indefinitely and declared wanted in a case. I later went to court to challenge the indefinite suspension. When they refused to reverse it, we went back to court to commence committal proceedings.
I eventually finished in 2000. I gained admission to study Industrial Chemistry in 1995, and when I was in 200-Level, I contested and won overwhelmingly as Assistant Secretary-General of the union.
