In a significant milestone for Iresa-Adu, Prince Adebayo Kayode, also known as Prince Adebayo of Iresa, has acquired the necessary land for the permanent establishment of the Federal College of Agriculture in the area.
This move comes after the institution had been operating on a temporary site for two years due to land disputes.
The Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation Ibadan, Outreach Centre, IRESA-ADU, Oyo State, is the first higher institution in Iresa-Adu, and Prince Adebayo’s efforts have ensured that it will remain in the area.
The Prince, who resides in the United Kingdom, purchased the land directly from the Surulere Local Government, Iresa-Adu, Oyo State, and has finalized all necessary documents, including the red copy document of the Survey Plan for the land, at the state level.
This development has been hailed as a significant achievement for Iresa-Adu, with many residents expressing their gratitude to Prince Adebayo for his efforts.
One of the elders in the town noted that Iresa-Adu has been yearning for a higher institution for a long time, and thanked Prince Adebayo for stepping in to make it a reality.
“We have been yearning for an higher institution in this town for a long time. Iresa plays an historical role in Yoruba history, older than Ogbomoso and many other towns around us, yet other towns have more development than us. Thank God for our son Prince Adebayo for stepping in at this very moment,” said one of the elders.
The Prince’s commitment to his ancestral home is evident in his numerous projects across Iresa-Adu, including the Iresa Royal Foundation, which has implemented various initiatives such as student relief loans, empowerment programs, and COVID-19 food distribution.
According to Prince Adebayo, “The FEDERAL COLLEGE is the first ever Higher Institution anywhere on Iresa-Adu soil and to loose it over land disputes will be regrettable. There are people who have already worked tirelessly to bring the institution here to Iresa-Adu in first place. We cannot sit back and watch all that effort go to waste. The permanent site was handpicked by Federal College stakeholders, I am honoured to have played a historical role in securing the land for the institution”.
The acquisition of the land has also been praised by the women leaders in the ancient town.
One of the women leaders said, “I was not a child when Aresa Oyedepo sold that land to the Local Government in the early 1990s. The land is theirs and the school wanted it for school, so we have to buy it back, but everyone knows the situation of Nigeria. Our son, Prince Adebayo have always tried his best for this town, we pray he does not get tired”.
The youths in the town have also expressed their gratitude to Prince Adebayo, describing his efforts as an historical achievement.
One of the youths said, “We have been working with Prince Adebayo on every one of his projects, he has never disappointed Iresa. This is by far an historical achievement, because we will benefit from the higher institution, our grandchildren and future generations will benefit from it as well”.
