By Ahmed Rahma
The Governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that the state will commence the push to make Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, a conventional university.
According to him, following the signing of the LAUTECH, Ogbomoso 2020 Bill into law, the state would apply to necessary authorities to change the university from a technology university to a conventional university so that it could be strengthened and enabled to handle other courses outside the technology bracket.
The Governor stated this while receiving a report of the Oyo State negotiating committee on the institution on Thursday.
Mr Makinde also said the institution’s College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences will be moved to Iseyin, adding that the Iseyin campus will open this year.
The decision to open the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences campus of LAUTECH is coming seven days after Governor Makinde declared in Iseyin that in six weeks, he would fulfill his electioneering promise of siting a higher institution of learning in the historical city.
Speaking further, the Governor said, “You will recall that I promised that we will announce the creation of a higher institution of learning in Iseyin.
“A decision has been taken and that decision is that the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences will open its campus in Iseyin this year.
“When we inaugurated this committee on November 27, 2019, we were barely six months in office. We gave the members a clear mandate to secure a divorce from Osun State in a manner of speaking and get Oyo State sole ownership of LAUTECH.
“Today, I am happy to officially receive your report. I see that you have returned as brave warriors, having fulfilled your mandate.”
He said the committee, led by Prof. Ayodeji Omole, was assigned the responsibility of dissolving the joint ownership of LAUTECH between Oyo and Osun states about 15 months ago, stating that members of the committee have fulfilled their mandate.
The Governor applauded the team for getting the job done and also lauded its Osun State counterpart led by Prof. Olu Aina, as well as the Governor of Osun State, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, who he said put aside all differences, especially partisan politics, all through these negotiations.
“On behalf of myself, the Oyo State Executive Council, the staff and students of LAUTECH, the people of Ogbomoso in particular and the good people of Oyo State as a whole, we say thank you for getting the job done,” he said.
The Governor re-affirmed that parting ways with Osun State on LAUTECH was not borne out of animosity but out of a desire to see LAUTECH realise its vision of being a world class university.
He equally commended the versatility of the National Universities Commission (NUC) during the negotiations, stating that having signed the LAUTECH Ogbomoso Bill 2020 into law, the state would apply to the NUC to convert LAUTECH from a university of technology to a conventional university so that other courses could be taught.
