In a move redefining campus culture, Igbinedion University has slammed the door on off-campus living, ordering all students to reside within the university's hostels or face expulsion.

The decree, announced by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye during the matriculation of the "Titanium Class" of 2026, is a stark pivot towards a fully residential model. "Life on campus is not optional," Ezemonye thundered. "Residing elsewhere is not permitted."

The "Titanium" Standard

The university argues that the policy is essential for "character molding" and academic focus. By corralling 1,300 new students into controlled environments, the administration hopes to curb the vices often associated with off-campus freedom—drug abuse, cultism, and absenteeism.

This policy stands in sharp contrast to the crisis in Kenyan public universities, where a lack of hostels forces thousands of students into dangerous, squalid shacks in surrounding slums, exposing them to crime and exploitation. Igbinedion’s "walled garden" approach is an expensive but effective answer to the student housing deficit.

• The Cost of Control: While parents may welcome the safety, critics argue it infantalizes adult learners and creates a "secondary school" atmosphere in a tertiary institution.
• Economic Impact: The ban will devastate the local economy of Okada town, where private landlords rely heavily on student rents. It is a classic case of a university acting as a state-within-a-state.

A Model for Africa?

As African universities struggle with exploding enrollments and decaying infrastructure, Igbinedion’s mandatory residency is a bold experiment in quality control. It asks a fundamental question: Can you truly educate a student you cannot see?