The conversation was sparked earlier in the week when TikTok creator Samuel Oyebamiji, popularly known as Tech With Olajesutomiwa (@olajesutomiwa), shared a video questioning aspects of the institution’s tuition payment structure and treatment of students. The post, which had garnered over 54,500 views as of Thursday afternoon, quickly became a rallying point for undergraduates and parents expressing broader concerns about private university administration.
Oyebamiji, a computer science alumnus of the faith-based institution who now works as a data scientist and artificial intelligence engineer, said his intervention was motivated by concern that the university’s current direction may be drifting from its founding ideals. Addressing the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Enoch Adeboye, he appealed for intervention, referencing what he described as the original vision of providing equitable access to both wealthy and less-privileged students.
Appeal to RCCG Leadership
In his video, Oyebamiji directly addressed the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Enoch Adeboye, urging him to intervene.
“Please, you need to come to the aid of Redeemer’s University students because this is not what was promised. The Redeemer’s University we see today is not the mission God sent you to accomplish,” he said.
He recalled what he described as Adeboye’s original vision for the institution — a university where both rich and poor students could access quality education with equal rights and opportunities.
Concerns Over Tuition Policy and Hostel Access
At the heart of the debate are allegations that some students were denied access to hostels in the early hours of the morning — reportedly between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. — for not completing 100 per cent of their tuition payment at the start of the second semester, despite having paid significant instalments.
Oyebamiji outlined the university’s established instalment structure: 40 per cent of fees payable before first semester resumption, 20 per cent before first semester examinations, and the remaining 40 per cent before second semester examinations or by the end of the academic session. He stated that this was the policy during his time as a student.
He questioned why enforcement now appears to require full payment at the resumption of the second semester, arguing that such timing compresses the financial burden on parents.
Illustrating the strain, he cited a hypothetical N1,000,000 tuition fee. Under the arrangement, N400,000 (40 per cent) would be paid before resumption, followed by N200,000 (20 per cent) before first semester exams. After a two-week examination period and a short break, parents would then need to produce the remaining N400,000 (40 per cent) before the second semester begins — effectively leaving about six weeks to complete 60 per cent of the total fees.
“In this economy,” he said, “that is not how things used to be.”
He contrasted the alleged current enforcement with the system during his undergraduate years, when students could remain in hostels and attend classes as long as they cleared outstanding balances before examinations, which were tied to clearance and result access rather than accommodation.
While he acknowledged that the policy itself might not be new, he suggested that the present management’s strict enforcement differs from past practice.
“But the people currently in charge, the people placed at the top to manage this institution, are not doing the right thing,” he stated.
Fear of Reprisal Among Students
The video’s comment section was populated with TikTok users believed to be students who expressed agreement with Oyebamiji’s concerns. However, when contacted for further comments, most declined to speak publicly, citing fear of expulsion or disciplinary action.
“You want me to make a comment, and tomorrow the school will expel me. Hardly will you get a student to speak on this issue,” one student said anonymously.
Diverging Accounts Online
Not all reactions supported the claims. A TikToker identified as Elvistechnologies.inc urged restraint, stating that locking students out of hostels would contradict RUN’s established culture.
“Just calm down. Redeemer’s University is trying, but let’s verify about locking students out of their hostel. That’s not the culture of RUN. All my years there, no student has been locked outside. Students who owe fees don’t write exams or resume school,” the user wrote.
However, another TikTok user, omobolaajayi615, countered that the reports were credible and claimed her son, a current student, had been affected. Efforts to obtain further comment from her were unsuccessful.
Broader Concerns Across Private Universities
The discussion soon expanded beyond RUN, with several parents suggesting that the issue reflects systemic challenges within Nigeria’s private higher education sector.
Mrs Olawunmi Ojo argued that students in private universities often lack a platform to voice grievances. She recounted an incident involving her son at Lead City University, where she alleged that four of his examination scripts went missing. According to her, the dean of faculty reportedly asked her son to rewrite the four papers despite his name appearing on the examination register.
She questioned the accountability of academic staff in such circumstances, asking what consequences applied to lecturers when scripts went missing.
Other parents, including Mrs Oluwadarasimi Alade and Mrs Abigeal Awolola, described similar frustrations, characterising the problem as widespread across private universities rather than unique to any single institution.
University Refutes Claims
In a formal response, the management of Redeemer’s University denied that students had been locked out of hostels for incomplete payments. The institution also dismissed as “fictitious” a document circulating online which claimed that students who failed to complete payment by Friday, February 13, 2026, would be required to proceed on vacation and resume on February 27, 2026.
The university clarified that this information was false and reaffirmed that its instalment structure remains unchanged: 40 per cent at first semester resumption, 20 per cent before first semester examinations, and 40 per cent at second semester resumption.
Management stated that the instalment system, introduced over ten years ago, was designed to make payments more manageable for parents. It also emphasised that, as a private institution without government subvention or external funding, tuition fees are essential for fulfilling its statutory functions and maintaining services.
Vice-Chancellor Assures Flexibility
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Akindele, reiterated that while payment rules exist, the university considers extension requests on an individual basis.
“Even though we have our payment rules, we still accommodate parents who request an extension on an individual basis,” he said.
He further highlighted financial support mechanisms available at the institution, including scholarships for academic excellence, sports achievements, and debate competitions. The university also collaborates with philanthropists to assist indigent students and offers varying levels of educational grants to children of members, workers, and ministers of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Ongoing Conversation
As the online debate continues, the situation has drawn attention to the delicate balance private universities must maintain between financial sustainability and student welfare. It has also underscored recurring concerns about transparency, accountability, and the capacity of undergraduates in private institutions to voice grievances without fear of reprisal.
While Redeemer’s University maintains that its policies remain consistent and supportive, the viral video has amplified wider questions about how tuition enforcement is implemented — and how private universities navigate compassion, discipline, and institutional survival in challenging economic times.