28th October, 2016
Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Chairman, Visitation Panel, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has assured the owner states of all-round success from the panel.
He gave the assurance on Friday at the inauguration ceremony of the panel held at the Senate Building of the university.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LAUTECH, a tertiary institution jointly owned by Oyo and Osun states, had in recent times been enmeshed in crisis of ownership and funding.
This situation has led to industrial action by the staff of the institution since June.
Olanipekun, the Pro-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, said that the panel would do its best to resolve the ownership tussle and funding problem.
He said that the panel would also ensure that the highly rated academic standard of the university was revived.
“Academic activities in the university have been paralyzed due to lack of funding and disagreement between the owner states.
“Our panel will look into how the ownership of the institution and funding can be consolidated. We are to revive the university as a beacon of light.
“The people should expect spectacular academic excellence, output and input from us. I believe in the capabilities of members of the panel,” he said.
Olanipekun said that the university started well and they were all very proud of its successes and growth.
“I have a very serious doubt if there is any state in Nigeria that has not benefitted from the institution.
“I don’t know if there is a state in Nigeria that has not produced a graduate from this institution.
“It is a joint property of Nigeria, joint property of the two states, joint property of the South West and joint property of humanity.”
Olanipekun promised to make his wealth of experience as Pro-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, and a former Pro-Chancellor of University of Ibadan to bear on the outcome of the panel.
“With my experiences as Pro-Chancellor of some institutions, one is not starved of the experience on how to run universities of higher learning, most especially in Nigeria,” he said.
NAN reports that a visitation panel headed by Chief Wole Olanipekun was announced on Wednesday, Oct. 19 after a meeting between the two owner states.
Other members of the panel are: Hon. Rasheed Afolabi (Osun), Prof. (Mrs) Akinola (Osun), Prof. Sola Fajana (Osun), Dr Tunji Olaopa (Oyo), Prof. Ayo Salami (Oyo) and Mr S. A. Raji (Oyo).
The panel has Mrs A. O. Makanjuola, the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, as Secretary.