Society Gists

Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday put to rest the controversy surrounding the ownership of the First Technical University, Ibadan, saying the institution belonged to the state government wholly and not any individual, including himself.

The governor made the clarification while receiving the state’s traditional rulers in the state, led by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who were on a courtesy visit to his office. Among the royal fathers on the entourage, drawn from the six zones of the state, were Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola; Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdul-Ganiy Salawudeen; Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola; and Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin. Ajimobi also used the occasion to avail the royal fathers of his administration’s achievements in education, agriculture, peace, security and infrastructure, among others in the last eight years.

He said the state government had not expended any fund on the establishment of the university till date, as all the structures in the institution’s premises were built by foreign donors and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Ajimobi said, “Let me use this opportunity to dispel the rumour going around that I am the owner of First Technical University, Ibadan. People are expected to talk, especially when they lack proper information, but if we fail to dispel the rumour, it may stick and become the truth. “I want to say without any equivocation that I do not own First Technical University, Ibadan. It belongs to Oyo State Government wholly. It is easy for people to come up with such rumour because of the successful establishment of the university. “It is the first of its kind in Nigeria, and we are happy that we succeeded in achieving this in our time. Nobody believed we could achieve it, especially during a period the country was grappling with economic challenges. “Oyo State has had no financial input in the establishment of the university till date. All what you see there were done by lovers of the state, indigenes living abroad, international institutions and the CBN.” He urged other well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to also support the university through construction of structures like students’ hostels, halls, block of classrooms, amphitheatre and sports complex, all of which he said could be named after the donors. The governor expressed appreciation to the traditional rulers for their unflinching support for his administration in the last eight years, which he said had contributed to the success so far recorded. The governor said, “I give gratitude to the Almighty Allah for giving me the opportunity, in spite of my natural deficiencies as a human being.