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The southwest
leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), has cautioned
governors of Osun and Oyo States, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Adebayo
Alao-Akala, against further delay in resolving the crisis between the
governments of the two states over Ladoke Akintola University of
Technology (LAUTECH) to avoid the hammer of the National University
Commission (NUC) on the institution.

Ayo Afolabi, the
party’s director of publicity in the region, in a press release in
Ibadan on Tuesday, also called on elders of the two owner-states of the
university to prevail on the two governors on the crisis, for the sake
of posterity.

He said if the
governors fail to resolve the crisis now, and allow their ego to
eventually push the NUC to withdraw the university’s licence as earlier
threatened, posterity will not be kind to them.

“Throwing away the
LAUTECH licence deliberately on the altar of irresponsible fight by
these spoilt-brat governors, who obviously have no iota of respect for
education, as they do not have the benefit of it, will amount to the
greatest disservice to the institution,” the release stated.

Mr. Afolabi
wondered what could be the crux of the fight “that it could not be
amicably resolved in the corporate interest of the institution and the
owner states, as had been the case with matured and reasonable chief
executives who had managed the destiny of LAUTECH since 1991 when Osun
State was carved out of Oyo State.”

According to him,
educational activities in the two states have been in limbo for some
months, and students and staff in the educational sector have continued
to bear the brunt.

Destruction of university

“It is on record
that teachers in all secondary schools in Oyo State have been on strike
for well over three months now, while Osun State government had just
coned the lecturers of the four higher institutions it owned, to
suspend its four month old strike, which they called for legitimate
demands.”

He further noted
that the two states possess weak educational policies, as the incumbent
governors display little respect for the sector.

Suggesting a due
process if the owner-states desires halt the joint ownership of the
university, Mr. Afolabi accused Messrs Alao-Akala and Oyinlola of
working towards the destruction of the university “founded and nurtured
on the strength of integrity of reputable elderly and selfless
indigenes with great foresight for the future.

“Our party is of
the view that if it becomes inevitable that joint ownership of LAUTECH
will come to a halt, it should pass through due process and laid down
procedures, with the concerned parties taking their dues, the interest
of the students adequately protected, the staff taken in to due
consideration, while the institution’s future and destiny is not
disrupted.

“The ACN is calling
on the elders of the two owner’s states to come together NOW to rescue
the institution. The earlier the elders act, the better for the
institution that had been officially rated as the best state owned
university in Nigeria,” the release concluded.