The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, has assured stakeholders from Igboora that the state legislature will give prompt consideration to a request seeking the upgrade of Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology (OYSCATECH) to a full-fledged university.
Ogundoyin gave the assurance on Tuesday while receiving a high-powered delegation from Igboora at his office within the Assembly complex.
The delegation was led by the Olu of Igboora, Jimoh Olajide Titiloye, who also serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Oyo State Traditional Council of Obas.
Other members of the delegation included the Rector of OYSCATECH, Akintola Akinlabi; the President of the Igboora Progressive Union, Alex Oladeji; as well as other prominent stakeholders from the community.
Also present at the meeting were the lawmaker representing Ibarapa North/Central State Constituency in the Assembly, Peter Ojedokun, and the Chairman of Ibarapa Central Local Government Area, Adeleke Olusola.
While presenting their proposal, the delegation appealed to the Oyo State House of Assembly to support the transformation of OYSCATECH into the proposed Oyo State University of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora.
They explained that the move would help address the imbalance in the distribution of higher institutions across the state, noting that the Ibarapa zone remains the only region in Oyo State without a university.
The stakeholders also highlighted the institution’s readiness for the upgrade, pointing to its academic strength of more than 500 staff, a vast landmass covering about 4,000 hectares, and well-developed infrastructure, including six faculties and several academic facilities.
According to the delegation, the National Universities Commission had already approved the college to run 16 degree programmes in affiliation with the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, with academic activities currently ongoing.
They further noted that Igboora has a pool of qualified human resources capable of supporting the proposed university, adding that over 70 indigenes, including professors and other senior academics, have expressed readiness to contribute to the institution’s development, many on a pro bono basis.
Responding, Ogundoyin described the proposal as laudable and consistent with efforts to expand access to quality higher education across the state.
He assured the delegation that the Assembly would take swift legislative action by first raising a motion on the floor, which would subsequently be followed by the introduction of a bill to provide legal backing for the proposed upgrade.
The Speaker added that the existing law establishing OYSCATECH would need to be repealed to pave the way for the creation of the new university framework, assuring stakeholders that the House would follow due legislative procedures in considering the request.