LAUTECH: Ogbomosoland Togetherness Youths, Backed Out Of Protest, Calls For Peace, Urge Makinde To Fulfil Promises

In the wake of the Ogbomoso LAUTECH recent protests, a youth foremost group Ogbomosoland Togetherness Youth Forum Worldwide, has released a statement distancing itself from the protest and calling for peace. The organization also urged the governor seyi Makinde led administration to act swiftly on his promise of making the university a conventional university with additional faculties in Ogbomoso Campus.

The statement reads, "As a foremost youth community group in Ogbomosoland, we are deeply concerned about the recent anti-Lautech protest, we have had several consultations meetings with community leaders, group patrons and host of community stakeholders. We urge all parties to come to the table and engage in constructive dialogue to find a peaceful resolution to the matter at hand.

The statement also addressed the issue of the university's status, stating that "we believe that Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology Ogbomoso, has the potential to be a world-class institution, therefore it needs expansion and it needs additional faculties to achieve this goal. We call on the government to act swiftly in making the university a conventional university with additional faculties to be sited in Ogbomoso Campus.

Ogbomosoland Youth Togetherness Association represents a wide range of youths community in the area, the organization is known for its advocacy on issues related to economic growth and development.

Prince Oyebamiji Aderemi Joy, National President OTYFW

 The President of the Group, Prince. Oyebamiji Aderemi Joy explained why the group backed out, "We believe that as an organization there is hope that a peaceful resolution can be reached, at the stakeholders meeting held in Ogbomoso, I as a person challenged the negligence of our community leaders, saying the matter to make Lautech a multi campus institution started over 2years ago, when the institution became sole owned by Oyo state, our traditional and religion leaders paid a courtesy and thanksgiving meeting to the governor, few months after the proposal to make Lautech a conventional university with several new faculties and making it a multi campus institution was out, the governor promises to add several faculties. None of the leaders in that meeting with the governor objected the proposal.

Shortly after, the multi billion naira project of linking of Iseyin to Ogbomoso road construction began, after which the Oyo state government got the NUC approval and accreditation to make the university a multi campus was announced, shortly after this process, the state government again sort loan to start the construction of the Iseyin campus which is now 90% completed. Non of the community leaders romancing the state government raised an eyebrow. So I think as a group it is better that we channel our agitations to calling the state government to replace the faculty of Agriculture with several other new faculties such as Faculty of Law, Social Sciences, Arts, and several others in other to help build Ogbomoso's economy.

I commend the braveness of other agitating groups in Ogbomoso,  but we all knew the Oyo state house of assembly has passed the  institution bill first and second reading. So we urge the governor to help fast-track the operation of other new faculties in Ogbomoso Campus He concluded.

The statement has been well-received by members of the public, who have expressed their support for the organization's call for peace and its stance on the university's status by adding several new other faculties to Ogbomoso.As it stands, the government has not indicated any intention to reverse its decision.

-Insideogbomoso