Tension over alleged plans to relocate Osun Tertiary institution

There is tension in Esa-Oke community in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State over purported plans to relocate Osun State College of Technology (OSCOTECH) to another town.

Youths in the community protested the alleged plots by the Osun State Government. They stormed the houses of chiefs and leaders of the community to warn against the plots, saying, “we may end up shooting ourselves.”

In a video, the youths visited houses of the chiefs in the community. The leader of the youths, addressing one of chiefs said: “We are going about to warn against the plan of government to relocate 10 out of 16 courses in OSCOTECH to Ibokun(community of Chairman Governing Board) and Ipetu.

“If the government goes ahead with the planned relocation, it will not be easy for them. We are going to besiege the entrance of the school and all masqueraders of the community will join us tomorrow.

“The government can mobilise against us, we might end up shooting and hacking ourselves. They can kill us but we won’t relent in this struggle. The Governing Board chairman, Diran Odeyemi is behind this move and we are going to resist it,” they said.

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But Odeyemi in a statement on Monday denied the allegation.

He said: “We are not relocating any department away from the main campus of the College. What we plan to do is to expand our academic scope through mounting of new programmes without adding more burden to finances of the institution.

“The council plans to seek NBTE approval for a proposed Mass Communication programme. The new programme being proposed will require setting up of necessary facilities for teaching and practicals. In Ibokun, we have a broadcast station owned by Osun State Government that can be used for the training of students, after accreditation has been secured,” he added.

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The Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole in a statement explained: “It has come to our notice that there is mayhem at Esa-Oke Township, surrounding the rumour that the State Government is planning to site a satellite campus of Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke at Ibokun.

“The general public is hereby called to note that this assumption is far from the truth unfounded and entirely baseless. It must have emanated from anti-government individuals who are enemies of peace, tranquility and progress of the State,” he said. (The Nation)