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Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

Sons and daughters of Ijesa extraction have berated Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke over what they described as deliberate stalling of the take-off of Ilesa University for the academic programme.

The College of Education, Ilesa was upgraded to a university following the request of the community spanning three decades. But after taking over the government, Governor Adeleke sets up an ad-hoc review committee to review activities of the new school, suspending the governing council and every activity.

In a statement issued by the Board of Trustees Chairman, Ijesa People in Diaspora Foundation (IPID-F), Akinyemi Fasakin, the group described the ad-hoc committee review as not just a deliberate attempt to stall the University take-off, but also a product of bitter politicking.

It reads; “The incumbent Governor decided to play politics with no other thing than our age-long dream, suspending the already constituted governing council with the likes of former VC UI, Professor Isaac Adewole, pioneer VC UNIOSUN, Professor Sola Akinrinade, former VC UNIOSUN, Professor Labo Poopola, former VC Tai Solarin University Prof Mrs Oluyemisi Obilade, and the likes of our respected High Chief Akinwande  Akinola, who has now angrily resigned and Rasheed Sarumi. These are eminent Ijesa personality with records of distinction.

“The government also suspended the Vice Chancellor of the university, former Provost of the College of Medicine of the Obafemi Awolowo University Prof  Kayode Ijaduola and other principal officers. Our dream of having in-takes after JAMB had listed the University of Ilesa on the brochure got punctured on the altar of unnecessary politics and ego.

“I honestly don’t expect anything less from a man who has controversy surrounding a mere secondary school certificate at 60”.

Also, the Asiwaju of Ijesaland, Yinka Fasuyi in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Osogbo described the ad-hoc committee set up to review the activities of the University as mere diversionary.

“Looking at the Adhoc Committee’s terms of reference, the majority of them had been comprehensively addressed by the documents prepared by a renowned global financial consulting firm, KPMG. The major issue was on funding of the University. In the University Sustainability Plan, it has been explicitly stated the various sources of funds and more importantly that the State Government will not need to add anything to the regular amount that the State Government has been giving yearly to the defunct College of Education. One or two remaining issues in the terms of reference are the duties of the University Governing Council which would have been better handled by the Star-studded Academics in the Council”, it reads.