By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
Some indigenes of Lagos under the eagis of Awori Descendants of Lagos have implored the Lagos State House of Assembly and the State Government to expedite action on the transmutation of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) to University of Education.
They however warned that any attempt to truncate the process and deny the institution the opportunity shall attract thier anger, with a catastrophic end result.
Addressing a press conference at the weekend in Oto-Awori, the group pointed out that it is aware of a clandestine move by some unscrupulous elements who are scheming towards ensuring that the institution is denied the status of a University.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the Akogun of Oto-Awori kingdom High Chief Kehinde Dawodu-Avoseh hinted that some powerful forces, which he declined to mention their names, wanted the University of Education to be christened against the Michael Otedola Teachers College in Epe.
Justifying the clamour for AOCOED to be upgraded to University of Education, Avoseh pointed out that the institution, which is the oldest tertiary school in the state, is eminently qualified for the upgrade, saying it possessed all the required facilities, including man power.
According to him, the Bill, proposing the College as a University of Education is before the Lagos State House of Assembly and has scaled the second reading as at last week.
” Therefore, given the College’s outstanding status in the area of human capacity, those enumirated and un-enumirated due to lack of space, we make bold to say that Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education is eminently qualified and overdue to become a University of Education.
It is in the light of the above that we appeal to the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Executive Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to expedite action on the process and ensure its completion in due course.
At this juncture, it is instructive to note that we are aware of a clandestine move by some unscrupulous elements, who are hell bent in ensuring that the institution is denied the status of a University.
We hereby warned that any attempt to truncate this process and deny the institution the opportunity of becoming a University of Education shall attract the anger of we the Aworis and the end result will be catastrophic”, Avoseh warned.
While commenting on the issue in his palace, the monarch of Oto-Awori kingdom His Royal Majesty Oba (Dr) Josiah Ilemobade Aina (Ikuyamiku 1) noted that stakeholders have been clamouring for the transmutation of the College to University of Education since 25 years ago.
According to him, any attempt to deny the institution the status will amount to a slap and mockery of the Aworis.
He recalled that the institution had ran a sandwich degree programme in Education in partnership with the University of Ado-Ekiti few years back.
Reacting to a question, the monarch submitted that the Micheal Otedola Teachers College in Epe can be converted to a University of Science and Technology instead of denying AOCOED its due and justified status of University of Education.
