Oyo communities scramble, intensify lobby For the site of proposed Ogbomoso university

Some communities in Ogbomoso geo-political zone, Oyo state, are currently jostling for the site of  proposed Ogbomoso University.

Newspot gathered that leaders of various communities in the zone have intensified lobbying to host the proposed university, which is a brainchild of eminent personalities in the zone.

There are five local government areas in the zone: Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Oriire, Surulere and Ogo Oluwa.

Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso owned by the Oyo state government is situated in Ogbomoso.

The indigenes of the town in a bid to take care of the demands of students seeking admissions in the town decided to establish the proposed university, christened Ogbomoso University.

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The community-based private university is billed to take off in September 2024.

An education summit on the proposal was held on Saturday, June 24 in Ogbomoso.

The summit explored the desirability and possibility of the community-based private university.

The summit at the instance of the Ogbomoso Academics and Ogbomoso Community Youth Forum ended on a positive note as there was a renewed fervour to see the university come on board.

Our correspondent learnt that a temporary site has been acquired close to the Pine Valley Secondary School Egbeda, a private school belonging to Professor Timothy Olagbemiro, former Vice Chancellor of Bowen University Iwo, Osun state and Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo, Delta state.

But Newspot enquiry showed that community leaders have intensified lobby in a bid to host the institution either in whole or in part.

Some of the communities lobbying to host campuses of the university included Iresa, Ikoyi, Ajaawa and Iresadu.

A resident of Ogbomoso, Mr. Yemi Bello confirmed to Newspot that many of the communities, especially those in the rural areas, are making efforts to host the proposed university.

He said, “Yes, I spoke with someone who said that some communities are currently lobbying to host a campus of the proposed university.

“Some communities like Iresa, Ikoyi and other communities in the suburb of Ogbomoso are currently lobbying to host the proposed university”.

Another resident, Mr. Kolade Adeola said, “Something like that is ongoing, traditional rulers from various communities in Ogbomoso zone are lobbying to have the university or its campuses located in their locales”.

A member of the committee on the proposed university, Reverend Peter Olaleye, who spoke with Newspot, however, noted that the communities were only making efforts to host campuses of the proposed university.

He added that traditional rulers have also decided to provide lands for the take off of the university.

“They are not fighting, but they are making efforts to host campuses of the proposed university. The university is going to be a multi campus university. It will have campuses.

“You know that we have five local government areas in Ogbomoso. There will be a campus in each of the local government areas. The traditional rulers have also decided to donate lands.

“The university is owned by the town but we are the ones in charge of its take off. We want to ensure that no local government is marginalised,” he said.