Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has expressed the decision of his government to make the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, a conventional higher institution.
Governor Makinde gave the indication on Thursday, while receiving a report of the Oyo State negotiating committee on the institution.
He said that his administration would move the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences of the institution to Iseyin.
In his speech at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, he said the Iseyin campus would open this year.
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 the status of technology university to become conventional.
He stated that this would enable it to run other courses in addition to technology courses.
The governor had declared in Iseyin that in six weeks, he would fulfill his promise of siting a higher institution of learning in the town.
He explained that the Committee, led by Prof. Ayodeji Omole, assigned the responsibility of dissolving the joint ownership of LAUTECH between Oyo and Osun states about 15 months ago had fulfilled its mandate.
Makinde 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.
“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 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.
“Even, when we were on the campaign trail, we had always known that there were no two ways around resolving the incessant strike actions and other issues related to LAUTECH ownership.
“We were not insisting on parting ways because we do not love our brothers and sisters from Osun State. As I have said on several occasions, this severance of relationship is not going to negatively impact the students and staff from Osun State but it had to be done for the sake of easier administration and to move LAUTECH, as an institution, towards our goal of a world-class university.
“In fairness to all, this was the only solution. So, let me, once again, use this opportunity to thank my brother, the Executive Governor of Osun State, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, for putting aside all differences, especially partisan politics all through these negotiations.”
Earlier, Omole said, “I want to say the negotiation was conducted without losing focus and candour. Let me put it on record that the two co-opted members of our committee were of immense benefit to our team.
“Their experiences in administration and conflict management became timely when the negotiation almost broke down in the face of obvious disagreement, uncomfortable realities and unrealistic expectations.”
