Chief Adekunle Funmilayo, a lawyer, has issued a warning to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) regarding its plan to send certain students to Russia for a year, threatening legal action if the initiative is not retracted.

He has also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in. The university intends to send 17 second-year students of Russian language to Russia as a prerequisite for advancing to their third year.

Funmilayo noted that these students, who were admitted for a bachelor's degree in Russian language in the 2021/2022 academic year, are being compelled to undertake this journey. He expressed that the ongoing conflict in Russia raises significant concerns for the students and their families, making travel inadvisable under the current circumstances.

The lawyer alleged that the students face an ultimatum: either travel to Russia for the program or face expulsion. He criticized the university for not considering the financial burden of traveling to Russia during these economically challenging times, nor the psychological distress caused by the threat of expulsion for those unable to afford the trip.

In his petition to the President, he stated that the university failed to account for the harsh economic climate and fluctuating foreign exchange rates in its insistence on the students' travel.

He estimated that the total cost could exceed N20 million, questioning why the university would impose such difficulties on these students seeking a degree in Russian language.

Funmilayo emphasized that the students were not informed at the outset that a year in Russia would be mandatory. He argued that even if such a trip were a requirement, it should not be rigidly enforced given the ongoing war and economic challenges.

He urged the President to encourage UNILAG to reconsider its stance, suggesting that students be allowed to switch to different courses or complete their third year without the need to travel to Russia.

The individuals in question are Nigerians and deserve to be treated with respect in their pursuit of higher education.

The lawyer has sent copies of the correspondence to the National Assembly, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the Dean of Student Affairs, and the Head of the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies.

In her petition to UNILAG, Funmilayo warned of potential legal action if the matter is not resolved within a week.