By Adeyemo Elijah
I write to appreciate you as the executive Governor of oyo state, for the jobs done well, and also to congratulate you and laud your efforts in putting smile in the face, of the Good people of Oyo state, Most importantly the Ogbomoso metropolis community who are the most and direct beneficial of this Great achievements, knowing fully well that all the private investment in the campus and around the University, whose Worths ranges in hundreds of millions to Billions, Is the direct and indirect medium by which all her sundry benefit from.
It is now almost like a tradition,and a second nature, for us all to seek the Growth and the development of our states, residents and electoral Districts, nevertheless it must not be at the detriment of others, regardless of the polity whether on the host side or the beneficiaries . With what is playing out in the polity, nobody needs to be told to think twice and make Necessary consultations before making any kind of endorsements. In the few past days we have read and see individuals, groups, clubs, villages and towns of different characters telling the governor how ready they’re to welcome the Satellite locations of the Oyo state Prestigious University. But then The crux of democracy is the will of the people, not the whims of some sycophants who are politically instigating moves.
Over a decade, Lautech has been in an unpleasant state, manhandled and thousands of destiny has been messed up, so also is the fact that millions of business fold up and thousand of beneficiaries are out of the market. I write you as a student of this prestigious university who is a based Lautech based and also a first hand source of information, who understands better the state of the Institution, and never a rebel to government decisions, Mr governor sir, this is not the time to sleep on any offer from any community, who wants development at the detriment of others. The HolyWrit says that: “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way, Lautech suffered for over Fifteen years because she was a multi-campus in extension to another state, the same Multi-Campus vision you shared, was the same vision General Ibrahim Babangida IBB led administration who created lautech shared, but later turns out to be a community Hullabaloo. Going by the supposed decision of the state government, There are Questions that demands a sincere answer, What if the new locations to receive the satellite campus to be created happens to be in another New state? Just like Osogbo falls in the new Osun state and later they create their own State University? If the Agitation for new state creation succeeds, won’t our Oyo State Lautech suffer another set back? Are we not trying to solve a problem while creating another? I don’t expect anyone benefiting directly and indirectly from the current administration, to speak negatively about it but it is important we think beyond our immediate self and be more concerned about the future.
Having second thoughts about something requires critical thinking. We should ask critical questions and seek satisfactory answers before concluding on what to do, Understanding the enormous influence On the community will provide factual and critical analyses on what to do, in the last few years when I got admitted into the university Remedial and pre-degree programs, the Pre degree school use to have over 15,000 Students,leaving the economy robust, this has nothing to do with the main campus and other Programs been run by the university. The university is a non residential one and this has further help boost her host economy, as at the last time I checked pre-degree school, the entire student taking lautech pre-degree is below 200 (Two hundred students) from Tens of thousand of student to hundreds of students, despite the advertisement on Air, Television and national Dailies and handbills, the big questions is that, what will be the hope of all private investors around lautech whose hostels and business has been empty for Years, due to lack of patronage! Of what use is all the hostel story buildings without a single student to occupy them? Many of this business and building owners are living in hope and expectant that someday, Lautech will rise again and their investment is secured, many hopes are dashed because thousands of students are about to be transferred out of the environment/Campus, this can only lead to community recession and crumbling of economy.
In a case where we have about 40,000 Students in the main campus, and are all placed on a minimum daily expenses of $2 (N700-N900), which in total amount to about N36,000,000,00, daily and about N1,080,000,000,00 on Monthly basis, this is to tell us the effect of Lautech on the economy of the host community, Splitting Lautech after her Ressurection will harm and cause another phase of abject poverty to the host economy, and again it will further amount to murmurs on the host side, why because the lautech their sole tangible source of livelihood is about to be shattered, knowing fully well that other 9 State owned tertiary institution has no satellite campus in ogbomoso, which are Polytechnic Ibadan. Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo. Ibarapa Polytechnic Eruwa. Oke-Ogun Polytechnic Saki. Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology Igbo-Ora, College of Education Lanlate. Technical University Ibadan. School of Nursing and Midwifery Eleyele Ibadan, College of Hygiene and Health Technology, Eleyele Ibadan,and host of other private institutions and industries, Of all this Smooth running institutions in Oyo state, Why are splitting Lautech who has suffered many bruise and who is just about taking back her place and glory from within her contemporaries, as a matter of fact sir, ogbomosho being the second largest city of Oyo state needs more of Government and private industries to further help shape and help the community.
If there are needs in Lautech and in Ogbomosho that demand urgent attentions, in my opinion, are the resurrection of Ogbomosho and lautech economy coupled with Lautech Glory restoration, thousands of Hectares of land in Lautech are very much available and intact, the Multi-Campus agitation outside the Host community can be place on hold for now and in the nearest Future when we finally get the desired Lautech (Oyo state University) and if need be for Satellite Locations, it should be be within the Host Metropolis to Further Drive and boost the Economy of the City (Ogbomosho North-South) FUT-MINNA as a case study. The state economy and IGR will in the same vein receive a boost, a lot of voice and Banners are out speaking against the actions to split Lautech, the need for second thought on this action sir, I want to quickly remind you of those entrepreneurs who through their banners got your attention, when you came down to ogbomosho for Under G-Stadium road flag off, They wept and seek your help to further help their dying business due to the state of Lautech and global happenings, which I’m glad you did, we still have thousands of them who depends on lautech community.
In conclusion, Governor Makinde administration has been able to instigate visible development across the five divisions and zones of the State, particularly in the area of road infrastructure, and other Developmental strides, Encomiums from the electorate – the masses – carry more credibility than the noise made by sycophants and those who seek to be a beneficiary without considering the Bruise which will be made on the Host Community. Everyone is at liberty to express their opinion – to praise or criticize the government but on this note ,I choose to appreciate the governor for the Jobs done well so far, for the Commitment and passion to see Oyo state taking her place as the True pace-setting state.
God bless Lautech
God bless Oyo state
God bless Nigeria.
Adeyemo Elijah can be reached via
Elijahadeyemo15@gmail.com
