Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo state and his counterpart in Osun State, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola have been advised to deploy necessary peaceful means to resolve the age-long ownership crises that have been rocking the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
DAILY POST gathered that the institution, which was established in 1990, is jointly owned by both Oyo and Osun States. The institution has been battling with ownership and financial crises in the last couple of years.
The joint ownership and financial contributions of both States have been generating controversies since the time of former governors Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo and Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun.
But, the Executive Director Finance and Chief Financial Officer of OES Energy Services, Chief Adegboyega Adegoke, while reacting, said that there was need for both Oyo and Osun States to find lasting solution to the perennial crises rocking the institution.
Adegoke, who is the Mogaji of Abose compound in Olubadan traditional lineage while speaking with journalists on Monday, said that this gesture would go a long way in finding lasting solution to the re-occurence crises that have been rocking the institution since the creation of Osun State from the old Oyo State in 1991.
He maintained that peaceful accord would also be a demonstration that the two leaders are capable and living up to the demands of their offices.
Adegoke insisted that peaceful resolution would make the institution stronger and meet up with the aspiration of its founding fathers.
He implored the government of the two states to design ways of making the institution self-sustaining like other universities which, necessitated that both states need to work together on matters of mutual interest rather than be seen as working at cross purposes.
“There is need for both the governors of Oyo and Osun states to sit down as brothers and look into the problems rather than allow intruders to come in between them.
“If both governors, the governing council and management team meet, they will be able to dissect the problem properly and jointly proffer solutions on the way forward.
“The management should also, look at the possibility of convening a tripartite meeting which will comprise of permanent secretaries of Education, Finance and Justice ministries with their respective commissioners in attendance to look at all the nitty-gritty of what has been causing disagreement between the two states.
“I want the two governors to realise that the indigenes of the two states are brothers and sisters, and in Yorubaland it is always a wise decision when amicable resolution takes place between the aforementioned relations without involving third parties.
“In the wise, both governors should demonstrate maturity for which they have been known for in resolving this present logjam without much ado in the interest of the students who are our children and future leaders.”