The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Okeho (FUNATO), Prof. Olaniyi Jacob Babayemi, has led other members of the university management to engage with the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Barr. Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal, to solicit the support of Oyo State Government.
The management met with the Deputy Governor in the company of the Commissioner for Education, Hon Segun Olayiwola; Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Prof Abdulwaheed Soliu; Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon Niyi Adebisi; Commissioner for Special Duties, Hajia Faosat Sanni and Special Adviser on Political Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, Chief Kunmi Mustapha.
Others were the Chairman, Oyo State Pension Board, Hon Rafiu Adekunle; Chairman, Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue, Mr Femi Awakan; Chairman, Oyo State Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education (AANFE), Hon. Ayo Olopoenia; and Special Assistant (Print Media) to Governor Seyi Makinde, Moses Alao.
The VC noted that the visit was to appreciate the state government for its support in the area of provision of lands and undertaking to process the C of O free of charge.
He noted, however, that as an institution at its infancy, FUNATO needs the support of the Oyo State Government, stating that the management decided to intimate itself with the government and to also communicate its immediate and long-term needs to it.
According to the VC, some of the needs include buses and official vehicles, an administrative building or what is popularly known as the Senate Building, lecture theatres and agricultural equipment such as tractors and other machineries in line with the university’s standing as a university of agriculture and technology.
He said: “This gathering is a great one and it is like bringing all of you together for this meeting to come and talk to you.
“First of all, Your Excellency, we would like to apologise once again for coming late. It is late because we were sworn-in on September 11 this year.
“Since then, we have been spending most of our days in Abuja, ensuring that the university takes its proper roots in terms of bringing students, if possible this year.
“That is why we have not been able to come and see you. But thank you for the opportunity to come and meet with you today.
“Number one, we are here to intimate ourselves with you as the management of the university. We all value the university. We value the culture, which was established this year. We came from various places; the University of Ibadan, UNILAG, Aiyede Polytechnic and LAUTECH.
“Since we came on board, we have done a lot and moved very fast beyond the community’s expectation and even government too.
“We are here today, Sir, because there is a burden that we cannot carry. We want to pass that burden to you, because you are a father. By your experience, you will be able to carry it. You are a leader; by your experience, you will be able to carry it. And that is why we are here today.
“Another reason we are here is also to pass to you what we feel are our immediate needs are as a university, because the community has been so committed to the development of that temporary site.
“We are aware that millions of Naira have been expended. People contributed from within and from outside. Permit me not to mention names, but I have to mention one name and that is Barrister Ahmed Raji (SAN). He has done a lot for this particular university to take its roots. He has donated millions of Naira to the community, and then he is also assisting us in a little way to make sure that we don’t have a financial problem in our movement around.
“Last week, we had our resource verification and millions of Naira were expended; the community and a lot of people helped us. So, we are here this afternoon to present these needs to you, believing that the university will find favour before the state government.
“So, Your Excellency, in this letter, we have introduced the management of the university, and then we have four items that we have listed here that we believe you can use your experience to help us on.
“Please, permit me to mention them one by one without reading the detail. First, we would like to have some buses and official vehicles.
“And of course, we don’t want to stay too long at the temporary site. We would like to move to the permanent site. So, we will need a Central Administrative Block or Senate Building.
“And then, we will need lecture theatres. And of course, it is a university of agriculture and technology, we will need some equipment, agricultural equipment, tractors, and then other equipment, machinery in that respect.
“Although this one is coming last, it is almost the first. We would like to open up the 1,002 acres that have been committed to our hand.
“We need to appreciate the state government, first of all, for giving us the land, accepting the land, and the process of finalising the C of O free of charge for the community. That is a great one.
“But we want to open the land. We want to remove all the removables from that land, because people are already showing interest that they want to do one or two things on the land.”
In his response, Commissioner for Education maintained that Governor Makinde has signed the approval for the temporary site of FUNATO.
He called on the people of Okeho and Kajola Local Government to reciprocate the gesture, noting that “FUNATO is not only for Okeho and Kajola LG, but that it is for Oke Ogun, Oyo State and all Nigerians.
“You have a lot of work to do to harmonise the people; let all the 10 LGs in Oke Ogun be united and let them have the sense that institution is for all of them. The Oyo State Government can help a lot but that will only be after you have all united.
“You have a lot of work to do there; give it the coloration of the federal university that it is.”
Similarly, the Commissioners for Establishment, Special Duties and Trades, who spoke one after the other, called on the university management to intensify efforts towards ensuring that the new university takes root and enjoys the support and goodwill of all and sundry across Oke Ogun and Oyo State.
Responding, the FUNATO VC said the university management would try its best to bridge the gap and separate politics from education, noting that it is aware that there are challenges and it would surmount them.
In his response, the Deputy Governor declared that the establishment of FUNATO was an answer to the yearning and struggle of all Oke Ogun people dating back to over 45 years ago.
He said: “For decades, the people of Oke Ogun yearned for a higher institution. We were looking for one, now we have two: we have a Campus of LAUTECH; and the FUNATO. I see a connection that can be mutually beneficial if we handle them well.
“When the Campus in Iseyin was coming up, it was not easy for Ogbomoso to yield. But the government said we were not losing anything by having two instead of one and to encourage the siting of that College of Agriculture in Iseyin, the governor opened the Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road, which has now been constructed. Now, you can move from Ogbomoso to Iseyin in 45 minutes.
“When the issue of establishing a university in Oke Ogun came up, all our traditional rulers and fathers rose stoutly and admirably in support. God has said that Okeho would have the institution. There is nothing now wrong if we all say we have done it together. What matters is that what we want has happened.
“Now, we have a Federal University located in Okeho but we would be missing the point if we localise it.
“The way things are being handled, it won’t pay anyone. It is a university and not a secondary school. Federal Government established FUNATO; yes, it would put resources but it can never be enough. So, you need the state government. Even UI that was established in 1948, Oyo State Government continues to be of support to the university.
“As regards the needs you have presented, I will escalate them to the governor. When I was acting as governor, your request for a temporary site was brought to me and I approved.
“President Tinubu established FUNATO, he is APC; give him the credit for it. But all those who supported it, you must also give them the credit for it. So, you need to work hard in this area so that we can maximise the gains of this university.
“FUNATO has a long way to go; it will outlive all of us. So, it must be driven with that foresight and politics must be underplayed. PDP government gave Iseyin the LAUTECH Campus, but they didn’t politicise it. That is why you can see everyone coming up with something in that place.
“I charge you, VC, to move to correct some of these things. Please be guided by history and project something that will be good for us. We can’t ethnicise a system that is universal.
“FUNATO will continuously need the Oyo State Government and the foundation the subsequent administrations meet is important. If the records show that the community has shown that it doesn’t need the government, then it will be hard to erase.
“I am happy with FUNATO 100 percent. We have been fighting for it for 45 years, and now that we have it on a silver platter, we must put on our thinking caps and see how that university can thrive.
“It is a federal university, but you will need the state government, as this request list has indicated. Look at what Oyo State Government is doing at LAUTECH Campus. No individual can do that.”
The VC was accompanied by the University Registrar, Barrister Amuni Mohammed Olayinka; Bursar, Mr Popoola Kazeem Olanrewaju; and Librarian, Dr Adigun Ganiyu Ojo.
