EKSU sick, in Intensive Care Unit, says Oyebanji

Promises intervention through synergy with stakeholders

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has described the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, as sick, extremely sick and in Intensive Care Unit (ICU), saying that the choice is either to allow it die and close it down or attempt a revival.

The governor said that the choice is either to push for a 21st-century institution or a glorified secondary school, saying: “I went to the same university and I knew how it was then compared to now with respect to quality of education not minding the physical structures.”

Oyebanji stated this, at the weekend, while receiving a delegation of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) led by its Vice President, Mr. Akinteye Babatunde, in his office.

He said he had to constitute the university governing council after rigorous but careful consultation and came up with people he believed could add value to the institution and help solve the myriad of problems bedevilling it.

The governor, therefore, promised that his government would do what is administratively possible to return the institution to its pride of place and save it from total collapse as he would not want to be seen as usurping the power and responsibility of the university council and that of management.

Oyebanji, who is also a Visitor to the university, identified what he called “politicisation of school fees” by some political leaders as one of the sources of crises in the university.

The governor, who noted that the institution was without electricity supply for more than 10 years, promised to restore power supply to the institution through the state-owned Independent Power Project (IPP) as well as timely completion of the 12-kilometre road from Ado-Ekiti through the university gate to Iworoko-Ekiti to make the campus more conducive for academic work.

He, however, commended the maturity displayed by all unions in the institution, thanking them for their perseverance, and sacrifice and for having interest of the state and the students at heart.

Earlier, Akinteye requested the intervention of the governor to make EKSU management reverse the hike in tuition, saying that education is a right of every Nigerian and should not be allowed to be commercialised.

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