LAUTECH impasse hots up: ‘We won’t resume at Iseyin’

‘We won’t resume at LAUTECH Iseyin’

Khalid ABRAHAM

The unabated agitation of students for the scuttling of the relocation of the faculty of agricultural sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo state, to Iseyin in Oke-Ogun axis, has taken another dimension as the affected 200 level students have vowed never to resume there.

This is contained in an open letter signed by Kehinde Adekunle and Johnson Oke, who said they are communicating the opinion of all the students on the matter.

Recall the matter of the establishment of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources, a satellite campus of LAUTECH, Iseyin, has been generating controversies.

The status of the college was not clear right from the onset whether it would be for new programmes or the faculty of agricultural sciences at the permanent site would be altogether moved. Efforts of ogbomosoinsightonline.com to ferret this out at the time met with brick wall as the designated Provost, Professor Jacob Gbemiga Adewale, evaded the question.

Now, with the completion of the complex by the Engr. Seyi Makinde-led government and its commissioning few weeks ago, the 200 level students have been directed to resume the second semester of the ongoing academic session at Iseyin implying some categories of lecturers and non-academic staff would also have to relocate.

Advertisement

The directive is opposed particularly by the students, who in the past protested and released open letters to state their opinion.

But it seems their agitation is not hearkened to as a final directive is said to have been given by Prof Adewale that the 200 level students resume there forthwith.

The students in their latest missive made available to ogbomosoinsightonline.com again cited various reasons the relocation is undesirable concluding that they would not resume at Iseyin and appealing to Governor Makinde and the management to intervene.

“Academic institutions should be seen doing the right thing at all times and upholding the ideal practice for the future of our country. Choice of school is voluntary and what informs choice of school is different for individuals. Choice of institution is voluntary and not by force. We were not forced to come to LAUTECH Ogbomoso, it was a voluntary decision guided by several factors. Our parents were well carried along and satisfied with LAUTECH Ogbomoso. And if need warrants leaving, it is still going to be voluntary. Majority of our lecturers withdrew their children from LAUTECH to private universities voluntarily, Prof Jacob Gbemiga Adewale withdrew his daughter from LAUTECH to Bowen College of Medicine not Iseyin. Management and government have no right to force us out of our comfort zone to an unsecured environment characterized by several uncertainties.No accommodation, insecurities, inadequate facilities, financial hardship. We were given admission letter following our application to study in LAUTECH Ogbomoso and we will graduate in LAUTECH Ogbomoso.

“Government has the right to establish institutions anywhere they feel like and follow due process of enrolling students. The due process is clear which starts from course advertisement and application form, interested members of the community will apply voluntarily and admission committee will review the application and take a decision on whether to admit or not.

“We aren’t sacrificial goats, we are children of poor parents with very bright future, we implore management of LAUTECH and government not to kill our dream, which is only realizable at our choice of institution, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso.

“Fear God because you will be called to question on how you direct your subjects on the day of resurrection. We student leaders were forced to go to Iseyin for facility inspection. We asked series of questions which were not answered satisfactorily. We are in second semester now having completed first semester successfully with hard policies of no tuition fees no examination. Our parents are poor, the economic hardship is biting hard with unfriendly policies of government not limited to removal of fuel subsidy. The college management should be competent enough to make best use of facilities in Iseyin to satisfy all stakeholders (government, students, staff, Ogbomoso and Iseyin communities). A person of high integrity should be allowed to take the leadership of the college and the difference will be clear, this is democratic government not military. We also supported Governor Seyi Makinde, during his first and second term elections ostensibly for our comfort not discomfort.

“Some of us are living from hand to mouth, we have secured accommodation for two three years, we squatted with our friends in other faculties, and some indigenes living with parents, all just to reduce expenses, we secured accommodations that are walking distances to LAUTECH Ogbomoso. You are now saying we should go to an environment we didn’t bargain to study with series of hardships. We are not going to Iseyin, Governor Seyi Makinde, rescue us.”

Further investigations confirmed the position above, with some of the students, who are however not ready to have their names in print for obvious reasons, saying, “Some of us will rather forfeit our programmes, we are not going to Iseyin. We have discovered the directive is not something that even came from His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, but certain individuals driven by disingenuous goals are behind it.”