LAUTECH: Call Soun of Ogbomoso to Order, Osun Assembly Urges Oyo, Osun Monarchs

LAUTECH: Call Soun of Ogbomoso to Order, Osun Assembly Urges Oyo, Osun Monarchs

By Abdulrofiu Agboola

The Osun State House of Assembly has called on traditional rulers in Osun and Oyo States to called the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi, Ajagungbade III to order on the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) crisis.

osun lawmakers

According to the lawmakers, the call became necessary following the established open and clandestine move by the traditional ruler and people of Ogbomoso to frustrate Osun indigenes who are workers of LAUTECH out of the institution.

Osun indigenous workers in the institution were on Tuesday attacked by hoodlums who were allegedly led by prominent Ogbomoso leaders

Addressing a pressmen and staffs of LAUTECH at the state House of Assembly session on Wednesday, the Osun lawmakers insisted that the joint ownership of LAUTECH, by Osun and Oyo state must continue.

The Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon Folorunso Bamisayemi, who led other lawmakers at the conference described the action of Oyo state to disengage from the joint ownership of LAUTECH as a betrayal of decency.

Bamisayemi warned against violation of the judgment of the Supreme court of March 26, 2012, noting that the apex court had held that the university was and will always be jointly owned by Oyo and Osun states, saying Oyo state alone cannot unilaterally lay claim to sole ownership of the institution.

In his speech titled: The LAUTECH Saga: A Betrayal of the Yoruba (OMOLUABI) Spirit of Oneness and Decency by Ogbomoso Community, Bamisaye specifically accused Ogbomosho Community for being the brain behind the move.

He debunked allegation that Osun state has been funding its own university at the expense of the joint owned LAUTECH.

“We also need to debunk the wicked rumor that we are funding Osun State University to the detriment of LAUTECH – this is false, as the state government of Osun has not given a kobo in subvention to Osun State University over the last six years and the institution has been self sustaining and running smoothly on its internally generated revenue.

“You will recall how, beginning from 2010, Governor Alao Akala of Oyo State acted out the script written by him on behalf of the Ogbomoso community by using the apparatus of Oyo state government to convert LAUTECH to an institution solely owned ostensibly by Oyo state but in reality Ogbomoso Community.

“The then the State government of Osun challenged Akala’s illegal attempt in the Supreme court of Nigeria and in a judgment delivered on 26th day of March, 2012 the apex court held that the university was and will always be jointly owned by Oyo and Osun states and Oyo state alone cannot unilaterally lay claim to sole ownership of the institution.

“Having met with failure in the court, the hostile take over has now been tied to Osun’s financial travails and inability to meet our obligation to LAUTECH which is a recent issue and which equally affects Oyo state.

“It is a big shame that the Oyo state Attorney General is denying the existence of a Supreme court judgment.

“With this development it is clear that some people within the Oyo state government are actually encouraging this criminality,” he stated.