OPEN
LETTER TO SEN. AJIMOBI & OGBENI AREGBESOLA: LAUTECH TODAY.
Sir,
exactly 130 days ago, i expressed my concerns, worries and fears for the future
of my Alma-Mata, Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology, Ogbomoso, the ‘once
upon a time’ Nigerian Universities Commissions - Best State University in
Nigeria for two consecutive years, 2003 and 2004, and at that same time had the
Best State University Vice Chancellor, but unfortunately, the ‘silent tone’ of
the set of alphabets in that article failed to suspend the dust. Today, i have
deemed it fit to burst the bubbles, redirect the camera lens of the Owner States
to the deteriorating condition of their joint heritage, and hopefully to put a
rest to its haphazard motion in the atmosphere of ridicule.
Sir,
let me quickly remind you that, the Citadel of Learning – LAUTECH as fondly
called, was formerly known as Oyo State University Of Technology but it was renamed
after a prominent Ogbomoso indigene - Late Pa Samuel Ladoke Akintola – Interestingly,
this was after the decision of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida led Military Government
to split the Old Oyo State among others, into ‘Oyo State and Osun State’, on
August 27, 1991. However, it is noteworthy to remind you that the need to
establish Oyo State University Of Technology was seen by the Governing Council of the Polytechnic
Ibadan in 1987, and achieved with great support
from Governor Adetunji Olurin, the then military governor of Oyo State. He set up a committee that, in 1988,
recommended the creation of the university. By March 13, 1990, Nigeria's
federal military government accepted the state's request; the edict
establishing Oyo State University of Technology was signed on April 23, 1990.
Unfortunately,
decades after the split, the vision to co-own the infrastructure and to share
both assets and liabilities was hit by self serving and community based
interests. And since the unfortunate collision of interests, the affairs of the
school has not been the same, as it has witnessed a succession of fight for
supremacy and power among the members of staff, and a recurring ownership
crises among the stakeholders of the institution – even after the ruling of Chief
Justice Of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher of the
supreme court, sitting in Abuja on March 22, 2012, stating that within the
provisions of Section 2 and 15 of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Law, 1990 (as amended), LAUTECH should remain a joint heritage of Oyo State and Osun State. Today, the ownership crises bedeviling the
progress of the institution has degenerated to its base and the stakeholders of
the university seem to have completely fall out of phase, with the failure of
the Ogbeni Aregbesola led Osun State Government and his counterpart in Oyo
State to satisfy their financial commitments to the jointly owned infrastructure
– coercing the work force of the university to down their tools, stage violent
protests over the ownership of the institution and float the hopes of the
students to get back to class. Inarguably, this has been absorbed in history
and would be told to generations to come.
Sir,
the failure of Osun State Government to pay its due in the jointly owned
infrastructure ought not to have been received with utter shock – when the State
under Ogbeni Aregbesola’s watch is currently in a struggle to find its
financial equilibrium, which has resulted to the part-payment of the civil servants
salaries and allowances, even with a huge debt hanging on the neck of the State.
Little should anyone wonder why a State in such a monumental financial mess,
would be able to make financial contributions in a jointly owned
infrastructure. However, let me say that, the inability of States to pay
salaries after the slash of their monthly Federal Allocation is not peculiar to
Oyo State and his counterpart in Osun State, but their inability to perform
their social responsibility in an infrastructure that was founded by their
forefathers and inherited by them, is saddening and pose a great danger to the
future of both States.
Sir,
if truly that critical situations requires critical approach, then the present
situation demands that all concerned stakeholders in the University and those
in the education sector come together to save the future of the institution
from the insensitivity of the ‘official visitors’, now, before the future of
the over 30,000 students in LAUTECH and those yet to come disappear into the
thin air. Perhaps, the ownership crises impeding the growth of the University
can finally be brought to rest either by collaboration or by compromise. But, if
the both aforementioned conflict resolution approach fails to save the
situation, then let the school be acquired and managed by the Federal
Government – at least, the jobs of both Oyo State and Osun State indigenes in
the university would be safe and the hope of the student populace to return to
class, would be restored. No doubt, the former is the major force driving the
power tussles among the members of staff and the ownership crises.
Sir,
let me remind you that during the Oyo State gubernatorial election that brought
you to power, my predecessor, President Adeniyi Idowu (ID Aluta), whom I served
with as the Financial Secretary of the Students’ Union, and many others almost
lost their studentship and even put their lives on the line, because of their
support for your candidacy – even the Students’ Union was slammed with an
indefinite suspension, all in a bid to ensure that the former Governor of Oyo
State, Otunba Alao Akala was cut-off from the affairs of LAUTECH, so as to
usher in political stability between the owner States. Sad, after your
emergence as Governor of Oyo State, the situation did not get better, aside
from the reversal of the hiked tuition fee, which did not include the fresh
students of that year. In addition, the President Sulaiman Kazeem (STEAM)
Students’ Union led regime also did not underscore in its support for your
administration and that of your counterpart in Osun State, all to ensure a
progressive academic environment for better learning and growth. Except for
when your government made an attempt to end the ‘Tuition Fee Part-payment’,
which led to a protest. Again, all was to no avail.
Sir,
electoral lessons were supposed to have been learned from the sensitivity of
LAUTECH and the importance of this heritage to the indigenes of both States. After
all, the former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Alao Akala lost his re-election
bid, major credit to the dispute between him, the joint forces of Stakeholders
in LAUTECH and the teaming population of aggrieved LAUTECH Students.
Unfortunately, it seems that no lesson was learned – or should we submit that
it is because yourself and your Osun State counterpart would not be running for
a third term in Office. Even at that, should you and he be less concerned about
the fate of your political party at the next polls, knowing fully well that,
your party candidate stands to be hit by criticism for your own failure to act
accordingly on LAUTECH issues. Well, just like many Ex-Governor turned Senator,
either or both of you may decide to contest for Senatorial district in the next
elections – then and then, I strongly hope that the electorates would read your
dossiers aloud at the polls.
In
fairness, this open letter would be incomplete without reminiscing over the
day, the sunrise, the occasion, the event that witnessed the influx of great
men and women into Ogbomosoland, probably, a sunrise like that of the August
28, 2012 is witnessed ones in many decades, not just in Ogbomosoland alone but
in many other places in the globe – the day Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was
appointed the Chancellor of my Alma Mata, not only was it inevitable for the
two official visitors to be in attendance but it was also a one in a life time
opportunity for the students and the Ogbomoso indigenes to see the faces of proud
sons and daughters of Yorubaland. Thereafter, the former Lagos State Governor and APC National
Leader was expected to bring his
administrative ingenuity and vast experience in public management to bear on
the running of the institution, and reposition it to meet the standard of its
peers all over the world – sad,
instead of the much ‘expected’ in the joint heritage, the reverse is conspicuously
the case. One does not expect the Chancellor to fund the university from his
wallet, but it was expected that his support in all ramification would take the
university from where it was to greater heights. Today, our expectations from
that glamorous occasion that filled the aura with so much joy are nothing but a
mirage. What can we do, than to appeal to Asiwaju BAT to come to the aid of the
helpless students, by making moves that would at least end the ongoing
industrial action in the university and return the students to class. After
all, the giant footprints
of Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale
Abiola who became the first Chancellor in January 1991 still stand the
test of time.
Sir,
lest I forget, let me categorically say that many of the setbacks suffered by the
Students’ Union of the institution was as a result of the fight for power and
supremacy among the members of staffs, particularly, those overseeing the affairs
of the students and their activities. Well, those who are guilty of the said
allegation should search their conscience and retrace their steps, in other to
forestall ‘a year in – year out’ leadership deficiency in the Students’ Union
and probably a repeat of the previous act of post elections vandalism. Let it
be told that renaming of tertiary institutions to that of political figures, like
it was recently done in Osun State, and also that ‘partial privatization’ of
public elementary schools in other to reposition the responsibility of the
government in the education sector on profit driven individuals, as recently
done in Oyo State are not the ways to go in the case of LAUTECH, but rather,
providing the adequate subvention needed to run the institution, this would
make the university function well and also to attain its maximum potentials.
Well, let me prepare the minds of the students that considering the ‘inactive’
state of the Students’ Union, the owner States would make attempt to increase
the tuition, in other to reduce their financial commitment in the university. By
then, the student populace would have to either ‘hold on’ or ‘let go’.
In
conclusion, it has been absorbed in history that during your ‘official
visiting’ to LAUTECH, the tertiary institution has done worse than ever – in
infrastructural development, payment of salaries and allowances, in maintaining
harmony among the organs of the university, and in the choice of Prof. Wale
Omole as the Pro Chancellor and many others in the University’s management
position but it is not too late for you to run like a Cheetah, in other to make
every remaining second count. Sir, be reminded that man shall be remembered for
his actions and inactions.
Restore
our Excellency, Integrity and Service, before it is too late.
Thank
you.
Sulaiman
Kazeem
Twitter:
@MrSteam_
17/10/2016
