A former Osun State Governor, Chief Bisi Akande, has challenged residents of Ila community to explore the gains that will follow the establishment of a university in the town by engaging in the production of food for the expected population of students.
Akande, who spoke in Ila on Monday during a prayer session organised to mark his 84th birthday, also recalled how his residence was attacked by some angry residents when Iwo, another community in Osun State, was announced as the host of a new Federal College of Education.
The ex-Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, who commended the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), for establishing the university in the town, also told the residents that merit would be upheld by the university in its operations and challenged them to ensure that their wards prepare well to meet requirements for admission.
He said, “And when it was announced that the college is going to Iwo people were angry and were demonstrating in front of my house, throwing stones. I was surprised and said am not the president and am not a minister am nothing, am just at home eating my food with peace of mind.
“All thanks to the security agents that protected me, about 200 people including security agents were here. The demonstrators and the people who sent them were in town. But when our time came, they said we are entitled to a university. We were so happy and people were dancing I was not even around, some people were even in the town hall dancing, waiting for me.
“But I understand the rudiment of the process, it was gifted to us because the president told them to go and build a university and gave them N5 billion to start work. You must all return to the farm. Produce good food, so students that are coming can have good food to eat. Through that, we will be richer.”
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