Friday, March 29, 2024

OAU Warns Indigenes Against Encroachment and Grabbing of School Land

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The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State has warned its host indigenes against land grabbing and encroachment into the varsity’s land.

While announcing that OAU will not cede an inch of its acquired land, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, condemned the illegal and encroaching structures erected on the school’s land.

Ogunbodede warned individuals or groups planning to incite trouble to desist from such dastardly act, noting that law enforcement agencies are well aware of the issue at hand already.

The VC who disclosed this during a press conference held on Monday at the Varsity’s premises expressed displeasure over the act of some individuals who have encroached into the land and sold it to people who have started erecting some structures on it.

He said, “Precisely in 1961 when this University was founded by the government of the then Western Region of Nigeria, the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adesoji Aderemi who also doubled as the Governor of Western Region, with the support of the Ife Community donated the land on which Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is now situated. The University occupies a land area of Eleven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty One (11,961) hectares.

“In strict compliance with the directive of the Federal Government, every machinery has been set in motion to secure the University land without any fear or compromise.

“We hereby wish to warn anybody or any group of persons who may want to foment any trouble that law enforcement agencies have been officially briefed about this development.”

Read also: BREAKING: ASUU Suspends Nine-Month-Old Strike

Professor Eyitope revealed that some individuals insisted that “the land given to the University by the founding fathers was too much, and that OAU should be ready to forgo the portion around Parakin axis of Ile-Ife.”

According to him, the land which had been acquired as university land was forcefully broken into on 3rd April 2019 and the university dam was poisoned, leading to the death of fishes and other aquatic animals.

He further revealed that “with an express mandate from the Federal Government and the marching order from the Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, the institution has sensitised the general public and warned those who have been misled into buying government land that the FG is ready to secure the University land.

“The University intends to start with the first phase of securing the land by fencing the entire area.

“While we agree that it is important to remain friendly with the local communities around the University, it is necessary at the same time to protect the legacy of the landed property of the University”, Eyitope stated.

SOURCE: The Daily Champion

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