By Yinka Kolawole
The leadership of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) has commended Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for the autonomy it was given to run the institution without interference.
The council attributed the achievements made since the establishment of the institution to the free-hand it was given to transform the citadel of learning into a world-class university.
This was even as the governor named a prominent road leading from the university gate to the Chief Tunde Ponle Drive intersect after the Pro-Chancellor, Mallam Yusuf Ali.
The leadership of the council stated this at the Government House, Osogbo during a courtesy visit preceding the institution’s ninth convocation ceremony.
Ali, who described Oyetola as an unrepentant lover of education, said the government’s intervention in the last two years has contributed to the actualisation of the collective goal of advancing the university.
He commended the state government for prioritising education and making it the bedrock of socio-economic development.
“We commend you for your largeness of heart in reappointing us for another four years after the first term. We thank you for reposing confidence in us. You have decided to invest faith in us and we pledge not to disappoint you and your government,” Ali said.
Responding, Oyetola expressed satisfaction with the way the university is being run by its leadership, saying that members of the institution’s governing council have proven to be the most diligent and capable hands to reposition the university and improve the standard and quality of teaching and learning.
“I am particularly delighted to see the brand new governing council of the university serving a new term. This is possible because to us, we believe that one doesn’t need to change a winning team. That is why we reappointed you.
“I commend the vice-chancellor for taking the university far and we are happy to see that the university is among the top rating institutions and one of the best citadels of knowledge in Nigeria and beyond.
“For this singular reason, I have the privilege to name a prominent road leading from the University Gate to the Chief Tunde Ponle Drive intersect, after the institution’s Pro-Chancellor, Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN.
“This is in appreciation of his commitment to the growth and development of the institution as displayed in the prudent management of the finances of the institution.
“As a government, we are satisfied with the quality of teaching and the calibre of people that made up the governing council,” he said.
Oyetola, who used the opportunity to renew his administration’s commitment to quality and functional education, said no effort would be spared in taking the university to enviable heights.
He applauded the Chancellor of the university, Dr. Folorunso Alakija for her contributions to turning around the fortunes of the institution.
While describing the support received from the chancellor as wholesome and unprecedented, he said the government and people of the state would forever be grateful to the Alakija family for donating a world-class teaching hospital to the university.
According to him, the establishment of the hospital would boost the quality of teaching and learning, most importantly medicine and other related courses, thus placing the institution on the world map.
