LAUTECH: A project that must not fail

The Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State is a project that must not fail. The school, a legacy of the old Oyo State, must not be left to crash at this stage when the two owner states —Oyo and Osun— have left it to rot.

This school has produced brilliant minds, unfortunately, it has turned to a virtual battleground where academic, non-academic staff and students have been rendered hopeless based on the tussle between the two states. The two owner states have no moral right to own other universities when their joint project cannot be sustained. The assets of the school should have been shared since the creation of Osun State, especially with the fact that the teaching hospital is located in Osogbo, and other arms located in Ogbomoso.

The present predicament of the school is uncalled for, and the students who have been thrown out of the school for no just cause should be pitied.

The Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi should look into how to resuscitate the university that bears the name of a foremost leader in the state. The school cannot remain locked based on a deadlock between these two states. The proposed Technical University should not, and cannot replace Lautech; it should also not be given priority at the expense of Lautech.

A similar situation had happened in the old Ondo State. Ondo and Ekiti states had the University of Ado-Ekiti, and when Ekiti State was carved out of the old Ondo State, the university was ceded to the new state, while Ondo State had to establish another university.

The children of the masses should not be totally denied access to qualitative education. If a state owned institution rots away, then a large chunk of the society has been disenfranchised.

Lautech must rise again; it must keep training students, and it should quickly be shared between the two owner states.

• Olutayo Irantiola

Okeho, Oyo State.