With the Osile– Oke Ona Egba
Four out of the five royal fathers in Egbaland in Abeokuta, Ogun State have thrown their weight behind the immediate transition of the University into a full-fledged conventional University to admit students for Medicine, Law, Education and other courses.
Responding to the delegation of the new Governing Council, led by its Chairman, Senator/Sir (Dr.) Adeseye Ogunlewe, the Osile of Oke-Ona, Egba, Oba (Dr.) Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso, stated that all infrastructure to make the transition smooth were already in place, adding that with the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, the Medical School was already a reality.
The Oba recalled the lost struggle to have the first university in Nigeria situated in Egbaland which, however, went to Ibadan in 1948. His words, “when FUNAAB becomes University of Abeokuta, you would have succeeded in bringing back the lost glory”.
The Agura of Gbagura, Oba (Dr.) Halidu Adedayo Laloko, at his own palace, reiterated his support for the execution of the Council’s plans to improve on the existing infrastructure in the University. The Monarch claimed that Gbagura owned 95 per cent of the land on which the University was situated, adding that he would be elated to see the expansion of the University. According to him, “We are ready to be your partner and we will always be at your service”.
The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba (Dr.) Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu, noted the significance of collaborating with the University in realising its conventional status. The former Producer and Director of the popular soap opera, “Village Headmaster”, said that nowadays, it was difficult for wards to gain admission into the University as the number of those admittable was limited. He, however, asserted that with the conventional status of the University, more Nigerians would gain admission as at when due.
Furthermore, the Olubara of Ibara, Oba Jacob Olufemi Omolade, affirmed the Yoruba people’s appreciation of good education, assuring the Council of his maximum support to transform the University into a conventional one. “Whatever thing you want us to do to ensure the success of the institution, we shall surely do it”, he promised.
All the Monarchs expressed their confidence that the new Governing Council will achieve even greater heights than the past Councils because the members were experienced
and highly intelligent.
The Pro-Chancellor reiterated the rationale for the visit to all the palaces, stating that since “education for all” was on the front burner of the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda of having one Federal University in each state, it would be unfair for Ogun State not to have a conventional University for its indigenes.
In addition, Senator Ogunlewe said the visit was also to solicit the support of the Monarchs and the people of their kingdoms to contribute to the growth of the University in terms of endowment, stating that an Office of Advancement had been inaugurated in the University, such that any donation of infrastructure would immortalize either the name of the donor or the donor’s kingdom.
Highpoint of the Courtesy Visit included the presentation of copies of the University’s 2011/2012 Annual Report to the Monarchs.
The delegation was led by the new Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Senator/Sir (Dr.) Adeseye Ogunlewe. Other external members of the Council included the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba; a renowned politician, Chief Olukayode Akindele; an educationist and Political Scientist, Professor Femi Otubanjo and an industrialist, Alhaji Khadir Abba Dasuki. Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment were also present with Principal Officers and internal members of Council. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, was the Chief Host.
At the Palace of the Olowu of Owu
Royal blessings from the Olu