ADDRESS OF THE PRO-CHANCELLOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSO, PROFESSOR AYODEJI OMOLE AT THE 14TH COMBINED SPECIAL CONVOCATION CEREMONIES HELD ON APRIL 22 AND 23, 2022

 ADDRESS OF THE PRO-CHANCELLOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSO, PROFESSOR AYODEJI OMOLE AT THE 14TH COMBINED SPECIAL CONVOCATION CEREMONIES HELD ON APRIL 22 AND 23, 2022

PROTOCOLS

Your Excellency, The Visitor to the University and the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde

The Oyo State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan

The Honourable Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, 

The Secretary to the Oyo State Government

Oyo State Head of Service

Members of the Oyo State Executive Council

Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly

Your Royal Majesties

My Lords Spiritual and Temporal

Chancellors of other Universities

Pro-Chancellors of other Universities

Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission

Vice Chancellors of other Universities

Members of the University Governing Council

Registrars of other Universities

Oyo State Permanent Secretaries

Principal Officers of LAUTECH

Chief Medical Director, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso

Provosts and Deans

Members of Senate

Members of Congregation

Chairman of Boards/Committees and Directors

Heads of Departments/Units

President and Members of the LAUTECH Alumni Association

LAUTECH Student Union Executive

Happy Parents and Guardians of our Graduands

The lucky Graduands 

Gentlemen of the Press

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

This occasion is one of the most remarkable and memorable events in our citadel of learning. It is, therefore, a great honour and privilege for me to welcome you all to this 14th combined special convocation ceremonies. I welcome in particular His Excellency, Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State and Visitor to this citadel of learning, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, to this historic event taking place in the University. Historic in the sense that the last time such an event was held in this university was six years ago.

To the glory of God and to the joy of the good people of Oyo State, the Visitorship of LAUTECH is no longer rotational. The Executive Governor of the pacesetter state is now the permanent Visitor to LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Oyo State. Indeed, LAUTECH is now solely owned by the people of Oyo State.

Your Excellency inaugurated the current Governing Council of LAUTECH on Thursday 1st April, 2021 and you charged Council to return the University to its old glory as a University of First Choice.

Interestingly, we came in at the point of crisis in the University and we were faced by a myriad of challenges that must be surmounted. The ownership crisis was just being resolved then and there were backlogs of workers’ salaries and allowances. Our students were battling with inconsistent academic calendar, while many courses were awaiting accreditation. However, Council faced these challenges doggedly and with your support, coupled with your exemplary nothing-is-impossible approach to leadership, we strived resolutely, confidently and successfully to get over the hurdles.

I am glad to say it loud and clear here and anywhere that LAUTECH is now being besieged for admission requests through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Enrolments have risen from the initial figure of 4398 in 2018/2019 academic session to 7440 in 2019/2020 academic session.

Council, having realized that consideration of staff welfare in all ramifications is very important to boosting of the morale of staff and restoration of peace and harmony in the University, directed the university management to set machinery in motion to clear the backlog of promotion cases. Today, staff are being promoted as at when due. Also, all the eight (8) month’s salary arrears inherited by Council had been defrayed in January 2022, while all categories of workers in LAUTECH continue to enjoy regular payment of salary as stipulated by your good self since the inception of Your Excellency’s administration in May 2019. In fact the University community now enjoys relative peace. Council is however not relenting on payments of any other allowances that may be due to staff.

At the point of taking over the university by the Oyo State Government, many courses were already due for accreditation for many years. Today, some of those courses have received professional and NUC accreditations, while efforts are in top gear to present others for accreditation exercise. In further recognition of the giant steps being taken by the university academically, NUC recently approved commencement of thirteen (13) new programmes in the university. It is also worth informing the general public and Your Excellency, sir, that LAUTECH has been rated by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as the Best State University and 4th best university in Nigeria. Many awards, grants and accolades are being won by the lecturers of the university, while the university continues to have collaborations with other institutions, both within and outside the country.

Your Excellency, sir, you would recall that as Visitor to the university, you directed that a campus of the university with the name College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources be open in Iseyin not later than September, 2021, with emphasis on Integrated Farming that would be of commercial value and attraction to tourists. You gladly preformed the turning of sod of the Administrative Building of the College in Iseyin on Saturday 4th December, 2021. Besides the Administrative Building, another on-going project in Iseyin Campus is a 500-capacity Auditorium and Conference Rooms/Offices funded through Revitalization of Public University Needs Assessment Projects.

Although LAUTECH is non-residential, we are now considering provision of hostel facilities within the Campus. Sequel to this consideration, TETfund is assisting the University with a Three Billion Naira (N3 Billion) Hostel project and it is on-going.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to inform this gathering that our amiable Visitor, the Governor of Oyo State has influenced building of a Skill Acquisition Laboratory with state of the art equipment. The project is to be commissioned during the convocation ceremonies.

Also, LAUTECH Press that was in comatose has now started to function. Contract for the major portion of the brochure was awarded to the LUTECH Press and they have delivered. In addition, arrangement for commencement of operation by LAUTECH Micro Finance Bank is now at advance stage.

Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, I am glad that we have some distinguished personalities who have worked with us during the negotiation for sole ownership of the university and who will be awarded honorary degrees during this convocation ceremony. It is good that they are being recognized today by the University.

Let me conclude this speech by once again eulogizing Your Excellency that today’s event is a further evidence that pursuance of qualitative education is one of Your Excellency’s priorities. This event today is indeed a milestone for you, the university and Oyo State.

Once again, Your Excellency, distinguished personalities, ladies and gentlemen, you are welcome to the 14th Convocation ceremonies of the university.

Please enjoy yourselves.