Olajide Osoba, Abeokuta
The socio-cultural organization, Abeokuta Club has insisted on the retention of the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital
The Club stand was in response to the call by the Professor Awonusi’s Panel on “The Review Committee on MAUSTEC and Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia” for submission of memoranda by interested parties.
The Ogun State Government has set the Panel to look into the modalities of the establishments of the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology, Abeokuta and Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia.
The method and execution of the two tertiary institutions had been fiercely opposed, especially by the Staff of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.
Gatewaytimes reports that the Cultural Organization, at its last Sunday Monthly General Meeting, in Abeokuta, subjected the issue to an intensive and extensive debate, and even went historical on the establishments of Tertiary Educational Institutions by various Ogun State Administrations, since the creation of the State in 43 years ago (1976).
The Club unanimously agreed that, either by commission or omission, the establishment of Ogun State Tertiary Educational Institutions, had to date, been seriously and numerically skewed against the Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts.
It noted that a total number of nine such institutions had been set up and now operating in Ogun East, Ijebu/Remo Axis, by various State Administrations, whereas, only MAPOLY, Abeokuta, which was set up by the Military at the inception of the State, had remained the only state owned institution to date in the capital
The Club recalled that, agitations for fairness and equity, in the location of such facilities, by the people of the Ogun Central, were palliated by consolatory and conciliatory “Multi Campus System.”
According to the Club, the Consolation and Conciliation exercise was even subjected to various conditions, including, provision of land, fund and other materials by the people of the Area.
It concluded that the two institutions should initially, strategically and administratively, exist on the same campus simultaniously as was done in the cases of the universities of Ibadan in 1948 and Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo), in 1961, both which later moved to it permanent locations after they stabilized at the site of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
The Club therefore categorically asked the Panel to retain MAUSTECH in Abeokuta as the first ever full fledged Ogun State Tertiary Educational Institution in Egbaland and Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia, as the first ever State sponsored Tertiary Educational Establishment in Yewa/Aworiland.
The Club advised the Panel and Ogun State Government to be sensitive to the age-long yearnings of the people of both areas for even distribution of education facilities, not necessarily Cloned Consolations of them, in the three Senatorial Districts.
On the issue of funding, the Club argued that Ogun State internally Generated Revenue as well as funds to be generated by the institution itself, would be sufficient to run the Special Science and Technology school.
It added that, if established, MAUSTECH would run academically and administratively better than most of such Special institutions in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the club has appointed a former Vice Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University and Past President of Abeokuta Club, Professor Afolabi Soyode, Chairman of the Club’s 11-man committee, to put together the stand of the Club and submit to the Review Panel on or before on Friday
