Rector assures of university status for Adeyemi College of Education

THE Provost of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Prof. Olukoya Ogen has said that the reversal of the institution to the status ante is temporary and assured the students that efforts were on top gear to re-actualise the university status for the institution

He said this yesterday during the inauguration ceremony of the Student Union Government (SUG) new executives, who were the products of the first e-voting electoral system introduced in the June 29 election.

After the resumption of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Richard King, who was appointed by the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, on August 3, President Muhammadu Buhari reversed the four federal colleges of education in Kano, Ondo, Zaria and Owerri that were upgraded to university status in May for alleged technical defects.

The August 7 circular that reversed the institutions to the status ante, caused a lot of ripples among the college communities, thereby causing Prof. Ogen to re-expedite more actions to actualise the age-long dream of the institution.

According to him: “I reject the word “reversal” because power process was only put on hold, and the process is on top gear. I want to assure you that we will get it faster than when people think.”

The provost, who is also an alumnus of the college, revealed that the school authorities would not relent on the primordial efforts to upgrade the college to a university, which has been the ambition of the students, even when he was a student in the 1980s.

Ogen announced that consequent upon the e-voting breakthrough on the campus, a laptop and tablet manufacturing plant will soon commence work on the campus, and the N600,000 million project will boost the ICT drive of the college, as well as, provide employment opportunities for the people of the academic community.

Prof. Ogen commended the students, college management, especially Noah Olarinoye, the former Dean of the Student Affairs and the immediate past SUG President, Kamarudeen Isiaka for conducting a hitch-free transition.

“They have worked in the last one year and what they have succeeded in doing, is what we are celebrating today,” he said.

He charged the student leaders to utilise their positions for the betterment and development of the student community, and desist from using it for selfish interest and personal aggrandisement.

Among the inaugurated new leaders were Ogunrotifa Richard as the SUG President and head of the Central Executive Council with other 10 leaders, Olatunde Thompson as the Speaker and head of the Student Representative Council (SRC) with four other leaders and Olubusade Alex as the Chief Justice and head of the Judiciary Council with two other leaders.