The Oyo State House of Assembly has drummed support for the second reading of the Ibarapa Polytechnic amendment bill.
The bill which proposes that the state-owned polytechnic should be renamed after Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin, the late philanthropist and father of present 33-year-old speaker, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin received huge support of the lawmakers at the Tuesday’s plenary.
Against the crisis in the house, the recently replaced Chairman of the House Committee on Work and Transport, Hon. Olamide Akinajo, has drummed support for the proposed bill and rated the speaker’s late father high.
According to Akinajo “Our late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin was not just a philanthropist or just a successful businessman who contributed to the development of Oyo State but he was also a politician whose influence cannot not be overemphasised.
“Eruwa is my second home, and a small town with big products. Their hospitality is second to none and the location of the state-owned polytechnic in the town is one of the best decisions made by the previous leaders.
“Baba Adeseun’s contributions to Nigeria’s economy cannot be measured. Renaming the Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa after him and equipping the school to standard needs no second thought, because it is a honour well deserved.”
Speaking on the second reading of bill for a law to amend the Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa law, 2013 sponsored by Hon. Akeem Adedibu, Hon. Kazeem Olayanju and Hon. Olamide Akinajo representing Iwajowa, Irepo/Olorunsogo, Ibadan North East 1 state constituencies, Ogundoyin noted that the bill goes beyond renaming the school after his late father but it also addresses the multiple current challenges the students are facing.
Describing the honour as a popular demand from the community and people who witnessed the labour of the late philanthropist on the institute, Eruwa as the hometown and even Oyo State, Ogundoyin noted that even the alumni of the institution have thrown their absolute support.
“The students, both past and present, even the school management have visited and wrote to me and the assembly on several occasions to communicate the challenges in the school.
“The non-accredited courses, lack of facilities, inadequate of human resources and fund. We are working on all these and the governor is also aware of it, that was why he visited the school on our way to Igboora last week.
“This is the first phase. A committed board will also be constituted and monthly subvention will be made available for the standard upgrade of the school. These are our plans and it will be achieved in no distance time,” he added.
The APC lawmaker representing Afijio constituency, Hon. Seyi Adisa described late Ogundoyin as a renowned NPN leader whose display of heroism during his lifetime cannot be overlooked.
He said, “When you get to Eruwa, you will see a big house on a hill. The great politician and successful businessman deserves more than this honour and we assure the executive of our legislative backing on this and other things that will give the school a true reflection of Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin’s personality.”
