• I gave life to the varsity – Adeleke

Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

Former Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola and his successor, Ademola Adeleke have traded words over the establishment of the University of Ilesa, Osun State.

The duo exchanged threw banters during their condolence visits to the palace of Owa Obokun to commemorate with the community over the demise of Oba Adekunle Aromolaran.

During Adeleke’s visit, he told the traditional council that he did not only ensure the establishment of Ilesa University, but also ensured that funds were released for its take off, but Oyetola during his visit on Monday said Adeleke lied, as his administration did not only established the university but also got National University Commission, NUC, approval before constituting a governing council for it.

“It’s on the strength of my agreement with Baba that I moved UniIlesa from mere paper approval to a functioning University with over 90 accredited courses.

“Our Government not only provided a take-off grant for the new university, we equally commenced Infrastructural development of the university while I appointed a top-class Ijesa academic to lead the university”, he said.

However, Oyetola who was represented by Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji at the palace, said the Governor lied about establishing the University, saying it was mischief to distort verifiable facts about the university.

“There is no controversy over this. Oyetola’s government established the Ilesa University. There is no controversy, I repeat and if anyone has anything contrary, he should come forward to negate this with facts, not by propaganda means. It is on record that it was Oyetola’s administration that engaged hands that sat with our team while in government to establish the university and it is also on record that the National University Commission(NUC) approved the creation of the university before we constituted the Governing Board for the varsity.

“We should be reminded that no one will constitute the Governing Board without the approval of the National University Commission, so, if it is incontrovertible that Oyetola’s government constituted the Governing Council, then, the concocted insinuation has no basis in logic and rationality.

“I am very sure that the people of Ijesaland can testify to these facts. There are verifiable documents to this and when the time comes, we will bring them forward to the public domain. It is unfortunate that some people could still be so petty to the extent that they would be claiming what doesn’t belong to them”, he said.