Specialized University: Stakeholders In Ila-Orangun Appreciate President Buhari, Akande

The Ila-Orangun Elders’ Consultative Forum has hailed the duo of President Muhammadu Buhari and the former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress,APC, Chief Bisi Akande, over the siting of a specialized University in the town.

Recall that the Federal Government recently approved the establishment of some specialized universities in different geo-political zones of Nigeria, as the University of Medical Science and Nutrition was sited at Ila-Orangun, the headquarters of Igbomina kingdom.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the Chairman of the forum, Pa Gabriel Oyinlola, stated that the development was a realization of age-long dream of the town, saying every town in Osun State and beyond would feel it’s positive impacts.

“There is no gainsaying that a University is a growth pole that will engender academic, economic and socio-cultural development of Ila-Orangun and its environs. Certainly, the University, though based in Ila-Orangun will serve the whole of Osun State and other neighbouring States, all of them serving as a catchment area for the purpose of in-take of student.

“The quest of our community for a University has spanned over four decades (1989-2021). In this regard, it is instructive to recall that while Mrs Lydia Oyewumi Abimbola (Now of blessed memory) was the Commissioner for Education in the old Oyo State, her performance so impressed the Military Governor, Col. Adedeji Sasaeniyan Oresanya that he was determined to site the State University in Ila-Orangun but for the order from the above that caused that University to be sited in Ogbomoso which is now known as Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.

“Perhaps, to assuage the feelings of our Community, the Forum Chairman, Pa G.A.O. Oyinlola, was persuaded to accept membership of the University’s Pioneer Governing Council and that yielded a good benefit for the present Osun State because Pa Oyinlola with other members of the Council from Osun State, particularly Prof. Tugbuyile (of blessed memory) succeed in having the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital established in Osogbo.

“Following the creation of Osun State in 1991 and because the Late Oba Ariwajoye 1, the Orangun of Ila, played a noble role among others and also with the intervention of General Olusegun Obasanjo based on the submission made to him by a 3-man delegation (including Pa Oyinlola as then deputy Chairman of the formidable Osun Forum) the State Capital was established in Osogbo. This made prominent Obas (excluding those in Ife and Ijesa) decide in a letter that since Osogbo had become the State Capital, the State University should be sited in Ila-Orangun. Unfortunately, that was not to be when it ought to have been; that is left for history.

“In 1995, the Osun Forum of which Pa Oyinlola made a powerful submission to the relevant Authorities recommending a sitting the Osun State University in Ila-Orangun because of the available facilities on the ground. Pron to, when Chief Ebenezer Babatope became a member of the Federal Cabinet in 1994 under General Sanni Abacha, he tried but failed to use his position to have the State University established in Ilesha because the Osun Forum sent an open letter to the then maximum ruler who immediately stopped any further action on the matter.

“Now, the Ila-Orangun Elders’ Consultative Forum which was wisely established in December 1997 made up of 30members with Pa Oyinlola as Chairman and Dr. F. Olaolu as Vice Chairman, by Oba Ariwajoye1, the Orangun of Ila, decided to work towards of having a private University to be called Oduduwa University. The Forum had raised enough money (Oba Bibire 1, the Orangun of Ila contributed to the fund) in order to purcahse an application form from the National University Commission, Abuja.

“However, just at the time a member of the Forum was to go to Abuja for the Forum, Oba Bibire 1, the Orangun of Ila had received a promise from a Yoruba man based in America, to have a private University established in Ila-Orangun and on the basis of the promise, Oba Bibire 1 sent a delegation to the Chairman of the Forum asking for the Forum’s proposal to be set aside so that all hands would be on deck in support of the rosy promise of the Yoruba-American. Sadly, the promise finally turned out to be a hoax.

“In July 2004, a delegation of the Forum led by the Chairman, approached Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun State requesting him to have the State University established in Ila. The Governor respectfully but frankly told the delegation that he had, during his election campaign, declared that the University would be established in Osogbo. Out of respect for Pa Oyinlola, the Governor suggested the siting of a Faculty in Ila but the delegation suspected that accepting the suggestion might lead to the removal of the existing elsewhere in the State.

“Thank God that the Federal Government College of Education which patriotic citizens of Ila-Orangun and its environs had worked for was lost to Iwo. Gods knew that we had asked amiss by graciously and mercifully granting us a Specialized University.

“Once again, we express our heartfelt gratitude to President Muhammed Buhari, the Federal Government of Nigeria, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State, the Asiwaju of Ila-Orangun Chief Bisi Akande and others who have played their parts in having the institution of higher learning sited in Ila-Orangun. We pray that the almighty God, the Great Rewarder will accordingly reward each one of them.

“Since those to be admitted into the University must be candidates that have done well in Science subjects, we seize this opportunity to appeal to our Secondary Schools to work hard to produce such candidates.

“We also pray that the almighty God will choose members of staff, both academic and non-academic who will put the University on sound voting.
We are joyful and glad we declare the evil slogan “Ila omo agboin dead and buried today and never to be heard of again”, Oyinlola said.