Daniel Tackles Abiodun Over TASUED’s Adoption By FG

Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, has berated Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, over the recent adoption of the state-owned Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode. President Bola Tinubu had approved the adoption of TASUED as a Federal University. “It is an opportunity for the Federal Government to honour Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who […]

Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, has berated Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, over the recent adoption of the state-owned Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode.

President Bola Tinubu had approved the adoption of TASUED as a Federal University.

“It is an opportunity for the Federal Government to honour Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who began the revolutionary free education programme in Western Nigeria and Dr Tai Solarin, who spent most of his life educating our children and impacting patriotic and leadership lessons in them at Mayflower School in Ikenne”, Tinubu was quoted to have said in a statement by the presidency.

Daily Trust reports that Daniel’s government established TASUED in 2005 as Nigeria’s premier university of education.

The university was named after an educational administrator and human rights activist, Tai Solarin.

But Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s government attempted to scrap the university in 2012, but the move hit the brickwall after stiff resistance by the Ijebu leaders and students of the university.

In an open letter dated March 18 and addressed to Governor Abiodun, Daniel said the takeover is an indictment of the state government’s inability to maintain the institution.

He also slammed the government for abdicating its own responsibilities to this institution.

Daniel said “However, let it be said that, as robust as this initiative is for that institution and the thousands of workers and students of that great institution which many did not give any chance of survival when we conceptualized it, we also need to call the attention of your esteem Office to a slight downside in this acquisition and the overall effects on our dear State.

“One, it appears this unilateral takeover is an indictment on our State and the inability of the government to maintain the Institution which has attained global rating, especially when the budget of the State has now hit the one trillion naira mark. Our people will ask, what is the percentage of our budget that is being allocated to the development of education from such humongous budget appropriation.

“It also needs to be emphasized that part of our vision for establishing the Tai Solarin University of Education was to provide employment to Ogun State citizens as well as increase the carrying capacities, admission quotas and thereby creating placement opportunities for citizens of Ogun State. I wish our people will not come to such hurried conclusion about government ineptitude as the reasons for this necessary acquisition when the State Government has abdicated its own responsibilities to this institution.”

Apart from TASUED, Daniel expressed worry that all the state-owned institutions have equally “suffered neglect and abandonment.”

“With the State Government’s clear initiative to run these institutions to their optimum capacity, we would have compensated for what we might have lost to the federal government with the acquisition of TASUED.

“Better still, in the event that the State government is unable or unwilling to fund these institutions, we might as well pray for the same “good fortune” that befell TASUED to visit them, to save them from the clutches of shame of abandonment,” Daniel said.

Daniel, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for the move, saying the Federal Government initiative “underscores the importance of the University in the overall development of the education system in Nigeria.”