LAUTECH faculty of agric: Movement to Iseyin in disarray, new date scheduled
Yinka ADETUNJI
The planned relocation of the faculty of agricultural sciences Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo state, appears to be in disarray even as a new date for the relocation had been slated.
ogbomosoinsightonline.com learnt the governor of the state, Engr. Seyi Makinde, paid a working visit to the site about two weeks ago to ascertain the level of work and preparation to host the new college of agriculture in Iseyin.
“However, the governor was a little bit disappointed by the level of work,” disclosed a worker at the site who witnessed the visit of the governor, but who pleaded his name is not mentioned. “The governor came almost incognito; only three cars were in his convoy which is unusual. A scrutiny of his countenance further showed he didn’t appear happy, he complained about the level of work, he was not at all impressed. The fence was not done. The site didn’t appear ready to host the college.”
Another witness who also spoke anonymously said the governor was not in the best of mood during the visit, “he seemed agitated and was not at ease.”
Meanwhile, a new date had been scheduled for the taking off of the college in Iseyin, which is September 2023 when second semester of the ongoing session is expected to begin. “Initially, May was slated for the relocation, then June but the situation on ground had made another postponement inevitable, and the new date proposed is September 2023,” another source informed ogbomosoinsightonline.com.
“1, 700 students or so are planned to be moved to the new college but as at today, there is problem of accommodation even facilities at the college are inadequate and far from complete. There is also the problem of insecurity. You know recently there was spike in the cases of kidnapping for ransom in Iseyin. Killings of some of the victims were also recorded.
“With the situation on ground accommodating 1,700 students at a goal is not feasible, it will disrupt and jeopardize the academic pursuit of the students and research programmes of even the lecturers, the plan will certainly set back the institution 20 years.”
TETFund is said to be the major executor of projects at the satellite campus ‘‘and there is still a long way to go,” it was stressed.
It is recalled that the Oyo state government announced plans to turn the 33 year-old LAUTECH into a multi-campus institution with the first step being the relocation of the faculty of agricultural sciences to Iseyin in Oke-Ogun area.
This move however has met with stiff opposition from students, lecturers, parents and even the Ogbomoso community where the permanent site is located.
Students and people of Ogbomoso have held series of protests to express their disapproval while appealing to the governor to rescind the decision.
Many have said since the governor had succeeded in making the university a conventional one the new faculties to be added should be taken to Iseyin or any other place. “Uprooting the faculty of agriculture, a foundation faculty and which is one of the mainstays of the institution from the permanent site in Ogbomoso is like breaking the front tooth of a damsel.
“It will adversely affect the economy of Ogbomoso, it will disrupt students’ flow of academic, dislocate families of lecturers, and lead to colossal waste of resources in terms of many facilities for researches already on ground and partnership programmes that will now be broken up,” a social affairs commentator, Kehinde Aberuagba, posited.
Continuing, the commentator pointed out, “The governor had written his name in gold by bringing stability to the institution through the achievement of sole ownership of the university via disengagement of Osun state and making the university a conventional one.
“But destabilizing the institution by removing established faculties when the new ones can be sited elsewhere will no doubt erode his monumental achievements in the university. Many of the students who appealed to him now will turn leaders tomorrow, when he must have grown old, do you think they would forget his refusal to accede to their pleas today? It is not worth it. The best course of action should have been to start new colleges in other places or begin new institutions if that is desirable. It is best the governor rethink the plan, that is what makes a good leader.”
