Pensioners of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere-Ekiti, have protested over unpaid pensions, gratuities and other retirement benefits, demanding urgent action from the university authorities.
The retirees, under the BOUESTI Pensioners Association, reportedly staged the peaceful protest at the university gate on Monday. They used the demonstration to draw attention to what they described as prolonged delays in receiving their entitlements.
The development comes days after the association appealed to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji to intervene in the pension dispute. In a September 7 letter, the pensioners said they had not received their August 2026 pension, while only 50 per cent of their July pension had been paid. (Channel Television)
Pensioners Demand Immediate Payment
The retirees presented a list of demands covering unpaid pensions, gratuities and several outstanding adjustments.
They demanded payment of the full August 2026 pension and the remaining 50 per cent of their July pension.
They also requested the settlement of outstanding gratuities and arrears linked to the new minimum wage and the reported 20 to 28 per cent pension increase.
Another demand was the implementation of the 2019 consequential adjustment in pension payments.
The association also called for a definite timetable for clearing outstanding arrears. It said retirees should receive clear information on how much is owed, why payments have been delayed and when the outstanding sums will be paid.
The pensioners further demanded an end to delays in processing retirement benefits and called for prompt and regular payment of pensions going forward.
Retirees Raise Concerns Over Hardship
The pensioners said delayed payments had created serious financial difficulties for their members.
In their earlier appeal to Governor Oyebanji, they said many retirees depend on their pensions for medication, healthcare and other basic needs. They also alleged that prolonged financial hardship had contributed to ill-health and, in some cases, deaths among members. Those claims are the association’s account and have not been independently verified. (ThisDayLive)
The association had previously said it preferred dialogue with the authorities. In its September 7 letter, it said it chose to appeal to the governor rather than embark on public protests because it expected urgent intervention. (ThisDayLive)
The reported Monday protest therefore marks a more public expression of the retirees’ frustration after their earlier appeal.
The pension dispute is also not entirely new. BOUESTI pensioners raised concerns over unpaid gratuities and pension arrears in previous years. In 2024, the association alleged that some gratuities had remained unpaid for decades and called for government intervention. (Tribune Online)
University Response
The university’s current response to the reported Monday protest could not be independently established from the sources reviewed for this report.
However, BOUESTI spokesperson Temitope Akinbisoye previously said the university was making efforts to address the pensioners’ concerns. He also said management had engaged the association’s leadership over the matter. (The Whistler)
The university’s official website identifies Akinbisoye as its public relations officer and lists the institution in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. (Bouesti University)
For now, the pensioners are pressing for concrete action rather than assurances. Their demands centre on the immediate release of outstanding payments and a clearer system for settling future pension obligations.
The dispute leaves the university management and relevant authorities facing renewed pressure to resolve the retirees’ grievances and provide clarity on the outstanding benefits.
