The Osun State Government on Sunday declared readiness to negotiate ‘divorce’ with Oyo State and disengage the joint ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
The Chairman of the Osun Reconciliation Committee on LAUTECH, Prof. Olu Aina, said Oyo State Government had refused to respond to a letter informing it of Osun’s readiness to negotiate discontinuation of joint ownership of the institution.
The ex-NABTEB Registrar, who addressed journalists alongside the Secretary General of the Osun Development Association, Dr Olatunde Aworanti, said the Oyo State Government, from all indications, wanted to solely own the university without following due process.
“From records, Osun has given the university over N27bn since inception and provided more funding to it than Oyo, even though all 11 faculties in the institution were cited in Oyo State, with Osun having only half of Faculty of Medical Sciences.”
Aina said Osun would be ready to meet Oyo State to discuss the future of the institution, but maintained that the judgment of the Supreme Court which affirmed joint ownership of the institution should be respected.
“If Oyo wants a divorce, we have to discuss it. Even between husband and wife, before separation, there will be discussion. We are asking Oyo to come to a round-table discussion.”
