•‘Aregbesola not against town’s interest’
Residents of Ila-Orangun, Osun State, marched on the streets yesterday to protest the alleged proposed restructuring of the College of Education by the government.
Traditional chiefs, elders, students, artisans gathered at the Igbonibi City Hall, and took turns to express disappointment at the alleged proposal.
Leaders and members of the Ila-Orangun Parapo, Ila-Orangun Elders’ Consultative Forum, Ila-Orangun Community Development Council and Ila-Orangun Action Council were present at the town hall meeting.
Many youths carried placards with various inscriptions, such as “Aregbe should stop inflicting suffering on people and Ila-Orangun”; “Aregbe should not play tribal politics with tertiary institutions in Osun” and “Aregbe should stop his ravaging war against Ila-Orangun”, among others.
Secretary of the Ila-Orangun Community Development Council Yemi Adeoye said the information of the proposed restructuring shocked the Orangun of Ila and residents.
He said: “We want to categorically state that the information transcends a rumour. Ila people are aware that a serious plan is underway to relegate Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun to a mere Continuing Education Centre. God forbid.
“Ila people say no to that bid and describe it as sheer marginalisation.
“Ila-Orangun is an ancient town and as the heart of Igbominaland, its people are peaceful, calm and accommodating.
“But does that mean that Ila people should be taken for granted in the name of institutional rationalisation or restructuring by the government.
“Inflicting under development on Ila-Orangun should by no means be the prize of our loyalty and mass support for Governor Rauf Aregbesola.”
The Chairman of the Ila-Orangun Action Council, Paul Ogunrinde, said the town had socially, economically and academically benefited from the college since its establishment in 1979.
According to him, on January 1, 1981, the college gained autonomy and was affiliated to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).
He said the gathering was not political but to let Governor Aregbesola know that the people were against the restructuring.
“We initially planned to go and protest in Osogbo and other Ila indigenes in Lagos and Abuja have promised to join us.
“But the governor called the monarch to deny that there is no plan to move the college.
“Ila is against the restructuring. The college has been in Ila since 1979. Every previous administration has contributed to its growth and this is what we expect from the Aregbesola administration. So, we beg him to take his restructure elsewhere because we don’t want it,” he said.
The Chairman of the college’s Governing Council, Niyi Akande, has assured that the administration will not work against the interest of the people.
In a statement, he said Aregbesola has no reason to hurt the host communities of the four tertiary institutions in the state.
The Chairman said Aregbesola and the council members of the four tertiary institutions were great lovers of education.
Akande decried the way the unions and some students were expressing their grievances.
He advised the unions and students not to allow themselves to be used by “the unprogressive elements, who were looking for ways to disrupt the peace”.
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