Kajola Youth Forum is an association whose focus is to champion the development of the young people of Kajola Local Government who are residing at home, in other towns or cities within Nigeria and in the diaspora.
As we all know, education is the bedrock of development all over the world, based on this, it is in the interest of our association to rise and make our position known as regards the on-going discussion concerning the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology.
Our position is that Okeogun region should be considered as the most suitable location to site the university due to the fact that Okeogun has been marginalised socially, politically and economically for so many years now.
The road networks in Okeogun are terribly bad while roads in other part of Oyo State like Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso Ibarapa are in good shape.
Ibadan was the capital of the Western region during the first republic. It was the capital of Oyo State in the old Oyo State when Osun State was part of Oyo State. It remained the capital of the new Oyo State when Osun State was separated. The result of this is that Ibadan has grown at an exponential rate and now house many institutions and physical infrastructures.
While Ibadan is growing and developing, other regions of the state can’t boast of an equal level of development.
Since the second republic after Chief Bola Ige of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) from Esa-Oke, Osun State, lost the governorship position to Chief Dr. Omololu Olunloyo of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) from Ibadan, all civilian governors had been Ibadan indigenes except Otunba Christopher Alao akala from Ogbomoso who ‘accidentally’ became the governor.
So Ibadan’s development has grown to the extent that only its son can occupy the apex position of authority in the state.
Ibadan, with 11 local government areas, has the highest number of tertiary institutions in the state.
Ibadan has the University of Ibadan (Federal), Lead, Dominican, Kola Daisi universities (privately-owned), SS Peter & Paul School of Theology (privately-owned, running degree courses).The Polytechnic, Ibadan and specialised Institutions like Federal College of Forestry, Federal College of Agriculture, Federal Cooperative College, Federal School of Statistics, Federal College of Animal Health and Crop Production, First Technical University, Ibadan (State-Owned), Nigerian Institute for Horticultural Research and Training. (NIHORT-Federal), NISER, (Federal), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA- International) and Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T).
But, Okeogun that has 10 local governments spanning across several towns with a vast landmass has only one major higher institution – The Okeogun Polytechnic, Saki – which became a full-fledged institution less than 3 years ago (it was formerly a campus of the Polytechnic of Ibadan).
Less than four years ago, a campus of Oyo State School of Health Technology was founded in Okeho.
So, from the above picture, Ibadan should not be coming up again to request or demand for the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology
The Federal University should be sited in Okeogun for the following reasons:
1. It will uphold the spirit of fairness.
2. It will bring development to the already neglected region.
3. Okeogun will become the food basket of the Southwest and other regions of the country because local farmers will leverage on the University to learn modern agricultural practices.
4. University education would be brought closer to young people who have hitherto been traveling far and wide to learn.
5. Okeogun economy will become bouyant as businesses and investments will spring up in the area.
6. Jobs would be provided for the many jobless youths of Okeogun who have graduated from tertiary institutions with good grades but are still unemployed.
7. Okeogun region will become socially active and many latent potentials and opportunities would be explored.
Based on the reasons stated above, we undoubtedly believe that Okeogun will be considered as the most suitable place for the university.
Oseni Ibrahim
