mytym:
Well, I have read all comments and we all have our sentiments and objectives.
A university is created by law and the ownership of the school between the two states was birthed by law which means the agreement will have to be dissolved by law not through Jacobic methods of victim propaganda that one of the parties involved is portraying .
The ownership imbroglio had started around mid-late 2009 during Akala-Oyinlola respective tenures. This was because Governor akala wanted Oyo state to be the sole proprietor of the school. Unfortunately he's not lettered so his approach was cumbersome and crude. Also, Lautech had developed to be a household school at the time.
One of the deeds of ownership states that both States shall regularly promote the required responsibility for development both physical (structures) and academic.
There had been misgivings in 2009 that only Osun indigenes enjoy the medical services of LTH (Lautech Teaching Hospital) located in Osogbo. This naturally is correct because of its location and it necessitated a plan by the authorities of the school to build LTH Annexes in two 2 major towns of Oyo State (Oyo and Ogbomoso) while another new faculty structure (building) be added to the LTH Osogbo campus, totalling three (3).
The bill usually is 50-50, half-year arrangement which means a particular Governor will fund for 6months while the other follow suit the following 6months. Governor Akala released funds and instructed the authorities to build two 2 Solid hospitals , and 1 Faculty of Health Sciences housing fantastic structures...but ALL in Ogbomoso!
It was a callous and calculated move by Akala, he even equipped the hospital's with state-of-the-art medical gadgets but couldn't get the NMA accreditation because he was told machines won't operate themselves. Apparently he spent more than the normal 50/50 cost-share all in a bid to hijack the school. He later realized that ko le werk
Meanwhile Osun state had established another separate University with its main campus in Osogbo, but it was at its teething stage, also because both states contributed immensely to the growth of LAUTECH. It will be foolhardy to nurse an enterprise from conception and abandon it when it has blossom started bearing fruits. The founding fathers of Lautech had good vision and it was not by mistake the school was rated best state uni twice consecutively (The ratings greatly declined immediately after the ownership tussle ensued). It was simply difficult for osun to part away, just like that, not when the university has successfully register its presence and even if Osun was going to agree to the arrangement, the manner and approach of Governor Akala would have been seen as rather condescending.
So, in April, 2010 the crisis grew worse. The 3rd VC Prof. B.B Adeleke, an Osun indigene whose tenure was going to expire in July, 2010 was Sacked by Akala barely two 2 days after the 20th Founders Day and a convocation. Activities in the school was paralysed, we manage to finish 2009/2010 harmattan exams and went on internal strike just exactly as it is happening now!
Uptill that time 2009/2010 was the longest session lautech recorded(December 2009- December 2010). we had three different internal strikes in rain semester alone. As final year student, we were few and school was very scanty. I remember we would visit the Late Prof. Ayeni's residence every night to charge our phones and PC (School area @Adenike had been without electricity for most part of that session, about 11months thereabout) and read thoroughly all the News dailies to check for any iota of hope of the crisis been resolved and the school resuming.
The hope came in November, we read in the papers FG resolved the issue (however temporarily), the ASUU/ssanu/nasu congress finished their 5-hour meeting around 8:30pm that night @250LT. The strike was called off and rain semester exams started Dec 1, 2010.
Most people didn't realise that the joint funding had helped Lautech to rise faster than its peers. If you doubt this, try and compare with all other state universities established around the same period even some federal unis despite the crisis.
No doubt the partnership is going to end someday but not in the manner Oyo state is going about it.
You cannot force any party to leave...
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