AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Oyo State Government has expressed satisfaction as the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso retains its number one position as the best state university in the country.
LAUTECH, which is owned solely by Oyo State, has kept its lead as the number state university in Nigeria for two unbroken years. The ranking was published by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings in its latest publication released in January 2024.
Prince Dotun Oyelade, Commissioner for information and Civic Orientation in Oyo State, noted that the publication also named Covenant University, Otta and the University of Ibadan as two topmost Nigerian universities.
Oyelade recalled that for 11 years, LAUTECH lost its past glory and was compromised for political gains. However, since Governor Seyi Makinde came on board, the fortunes of the university changed radically, he said.
LAUTECH’s turnaround was consolidated by the success of Makinde to make Oyo State the sole owner of the institution by negotiating an N8 billion severance agreement with Osun State.
This, Oyelade said, enabled Makinde to consolidate on the plan for the institution and gave the opportunity to expand its horizon with the establishment of the Faculty of Agriculture and Renewal Science in Iseyin last year.
In his reaction to the ratings, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in the state, Prof. Saliu Adelabu, said that LAUTECH deserved the ranking in view of the efforts of the state government to invest in the institution.
The two commissioners said that the state government would not renege on the plan to reposition the state to the lead status in education within the committee of the Nigerian states.
