There was excitement in Iseyin town, Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, on Wednesday, as the committee on the establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, visited the permanent site of the institution at Ipokun area of the town.
The visit was pursuant to the directive given by Governor Seyi Makinde on the take-off time of the faculty. The governor had directed that activities should start at the Iseyin campus of the institution by September.
The committee was led by the Secretary of the LAUTECH Governing Council, Mr. Idowu Adeosun, who represented the Council Chairman, Prof. Ayodeji Omole.
Also on the entourage was a member of the Council, Mrs Titilayo Ahmadu; the acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mojeed Liasu; Chairman, Committee on the Establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Adewale Emiola; and some management members of the institution.
Adeosun, who disclosed that the visit was in accordance with the directive of the state governor, said, “We are happy that Iseyin community is ready for this project. It was shown in the way they welcomed us upon our arrival and the enthusiasm shown in their preparations for the campus.
“The governor has charged the committee to visit and set machineries in motion towards the commencement of activities of the institution in Iseyin by September and that is why we are here today.”
The committee was taken round facilities that could accommodate the campus, pending the construction of the permanent site at Ipokun. They visited the Iseyin District Grammar School and the Old Teachers’ College campus, along Okeho Road.
Emiola said, “We will need a 750 capacity lecture hall and smaller ones as well. We will need lecture rooms, offices, administrative buildings and other facilities. Encourage your sons and daughters who have the means to come home and do this for the campus. They will be giving back to the community for its growth.
“Let government know you are interested; you have shown so much causes to indicate this, but more is still needed to make the permanent site functional in no time.”
The Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdulganiy Adekunle Oloogunebi, who prayed for the visitors through the Ikolaba of Iseyin, Chief Ismail Tikalosoro; urged the people of the community to continue to support the present the Oyo State Government so as to attract more development to the town.
The Chairman, Iseyin Development Union, Alhaji Bayo Raji, put the land that was acquired for the permanent site at 345 acres from the Eruuku and Alesinloye families.
He assured the visitors that further acquisition would be done towards the Ikere Dam, which would serve for irrigation, fishery and other agricultural purposes.
The permanent site of the LAUTECH Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources is about seven kilometers from Atoori area in Iseyin and three kilometers to Idi-Oori, along Oyo-Iseyin Road, while the famous Ikere George Dam is less than 10 kilometers to the campus.
It has villages like Bangbala, Daleko, Aaba, Alesinloye and Gbokoyi as the adjourning communities.
