Oyo assures Oke-Ogun of support on planned varsity, others

OYO State Government yesterday assured Oke Ogun indigenes and community of its readiness to assist in the quick take-off of their desired university as well as the smooth running of its activities.

Deputy Governor of the state, Moses Alake Adeyemo, who disclosed this at the inauguration of the proposed Oke Ogun University Implementation Committee, which took place at Iseyin Town Hall said the present administration is appreciative of the unflinching support, which the people gave it in the past years and particularly during the last elections.

Adeyemo, an indigene of Ogbooro in Oke Ogun area of the state said Ajimobi was particularly impressed by the enthusiasm of the people and will ensure that necessary developmental projects are brought to the area. “The state government will certainly see to it that Oke Ogun University takes off before the end of its second term.”

A university don, Professor Layi Egunjobi said that University as a growth pole often represents a catalyst for development in any area.

He enjoined the committee being inaugurated to be steadfast as the task before it is onerous but achievable. Advising the committee to adopt Monitoring and Evaluation paradigm, Egunjobi said this would enable it to periodically see what is being done, how well it is being done, what constraints there are and the ways out of perceived obstacles.

“I like to congratulate the people of Oke Ogun as it is my belief that this idea, because it is possible to conceive, is by faith already done.” He concluded.

Also speaking on the occasion, Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Prof Dibu Ojerinde, after underlining the importance of tertiary institution reminded the people that setting up a university is not a tea party.

“We need to guard our loins. The National Universities Commission (NUC) sets down various conditions to be met in establishing a university.

These conditions will run into billions of naira. For this reason, everyone of us must be prepared to contribute fully if this dream of a university is to be realized”.

Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Otunba Niyi Otunla, represented by his Special Assistant, Mr. Yisau Aderemi Adepoju, after congratulating the people of Oke Ogun for the initiative, reminded them that university is a capital-intensive project. “

It is important to identify ready sources of money that will always be there for the take-off and running of the institution.” Flowing from this, he and Ojerinde suggested the idea of consortium for the purpose of raising funds for the proposed university.

Earlier in his welcome address, Mr. S.A Oyedemi after tracing the various efforts made to have tertiary institutions in Oke Ogun submitted that the people resorted to going into community university because of repeated disappoints from governments at state and federal levels.

He submitted that the enthusiasm shown by the people to the idea of a university encouraged those of them in Oke Ogun Development Council (ODC) and sought their continuous support.

Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdulganiyu Salau Ajinese Oloogunebi in his royal remark said that he and other members of Oke Ogun Conference of Obas and Traditional Chiefs are happy that the people under the auspices of ODC came up with this idea.

He assured the ODC and those behind the idea of the proposed university of the support of the royal fathers. In his speech while formally inaugurating the Implementation Committee, acting President of ODC, Mr. Oladoja Oladele disclosed that the ODC decided to take its destiny in its own hands when all endeavours to have governments locate a university in the area failed.

He spoke of their visit to the NUC to register their intention to establish a university and the tentative nod given by the Commission for the ODC to proceed to the next level.

“It is in order to work on the nitty-gritty of meeting the conditions laid down by the NUC that this committee is being inaugurated today.”

He added that they are not unaware of the challenges inherent in the establishment of a university “but we are very determined to rise to the challenges and we are sure of achieving our objective.”

He then charged the committee members to work assiduously to ensure the early take-off of the institution. Speaking on behalf of the committee members, chairman of the Implementation Committee, Professor Yisa Kehinde Yusuf of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, after expressing the appreciation of members to those who appointed them, gave the assurance that they will live up to expectation.

Besides calling for the support of everyone, Yusuf urged Oyo State Governor to side with Oke Ogun people in this project. His words, “The distinguished Governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, has acknowledged the unprecedented contribution of Oke-Ogun to his epoch-making victory in his re-election bid.

Now is the time for him to show unprecedented reciprocity by working with us to make Oke-Ogun University to take-off before the end of his second term in office.”

General Secretary of ODC, Mr. Jare Ajayi while acknowledging the monetary challenge that a new university would pose, submitted that the organization (ODC) is thinking of approaching the issue of funding from two angles; through Endowment Fund and through Investment Fund – “pending the taking over of the funding by the government”.

Members of the committee were drawn from all the ten local government areas in Oke Ogun. They include academics, administrators, technocrats and professionals.