By Kehinde Ayantunji
Emeritus Professor, and former Executive Secretary of the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) Professor Oludayisi Aina has expressed concern over the disposition of the Oyo State Government in the resolution of the ownership crisis rocking Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso.
Aina who is the Chairman of LAUTECH Crisis Resolution Committee, constituted by Governor Gboyega Oyetola in November 2019 lamented that the Osun committee have been working hard to end the crisis not to abort the academic excellence vision of the university but Oyo state has not shown willingness to discuss with the representative of Osun to find a common ground.
Instead, according to Aina, Oyo state government hurriedly dissolved the university council and ignored all the request of Osun state committee to meet with Oyo Committee and find a common ground to permanently resolve the crisis to save the future of the students, staffs and the founding fathers investment in the university.
The emeritus Professor said this during a press conference in Osogbo, the State Capital on Sunday, addressed by Osun Development Association (ODA) an association of Osun business and professional and elites.
He said ” I am deeply concerned about the disposition of Oyo State Government over LAUTECH crisis resolution. I am really pained as one of the founding fathers that were camped in an Hotel in Bodija, Ibadan, three decades ago to draft the academic plan of the university that has produced scholars and sucessful Medical Doctors and Engineers. This University has been rated as the best state university in the past, and when you are experiencing this situation of uncertainty, you must be worried.
“In November last year, when the prominents indigenes of Osun and Oyo intervened and brokered peace between Governor Gboyega Oyetola and Governor Seyi Makinde, we were all excited believing that the commitment of the two governors will end the crisis and restore the glory of the university. At that meeting, the major resolution included immediate release of funds to offset the salary arrears and constitution of 10 man committee from each state to work out a modality for the survival of the university.
” In Osun, I am the chairman of that committee and we have been working tirelessly for the survival of the university but the Oyo state committee has not even met with us despite several requests, the last of such is a letter from Osun governor to Oyo state government dated January 7, 2019 and no response up till date, we are only reading responses on the pages of the newspapers” Aina said.
He said despite that it is not the wish of Osun to divorce the joint ownership, but if it is the last resort, Oyo should be willing to discuss and come out with a mutual beneficial aggrement that will secure a better future for the university.
Also speaking, Dr Babatunde Aworanti, Secretary General, Osun Development Association called on Oyo and Osun state government(s) to find a lasting solution to the crisis bearing in mind that the university remains the legacy of the entire Yoruba race and the students must not be allow to suffer any longer.
He urged the two states to be committed to the negotiation that will end the crisis in no distant time.
