Iresa-Adu has secured a permanent site for the Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation Ibadan, Outreach Centre, after a two-year period of operating from a temporary location. The move comes after plans surfaced to relocate the college due to unresolved land disputes.
Prince Adebayo Kayode, a son of Iresa-Adu residing in the United Kingdom, intervened to prevent the relocation. Learning of the potential move, he purchased the necessary hectares of land from the Surulere Local Government, ensuring the institution remains in Iresa-Adu. All documentation, including the red copy document, has been finalized at the state level to prevent future disputes.
“The Federal College is the first-ever higher institution on Iresa-Adu soil, and to lose it over land disputes would be regrettable,” said Prince Adebayo. “People have already worked tirelessly to bring the institution here. We cannot sit back and watch all that effort go to waste. The permanent site was handpicked by Federal College stakeholders, and I am honored to have played a historical role in securing the land for the institution.”
Adebayo is the founder and sole financier of the Iresa Royal Foundation, which has supported numerous projects in Iresa-Adu over the past five years. These include student relief loans, empowerment programs, football tournaments, COVID-19 food distribution, and yearly Eid and Christmas celebrations for children. He is known for his commitment to bridging the gap between elders and youths in the community.
“We have been yearning for a higher institution in this town for a long time,” said an elder in Iresa-Adu. “Iresa plays a historical role in Yoruba history, older than Ogbomoso and many other towns around us, yet other towns have more development than us. Thank God for our son, Prince Adebayo, for stepping in at this very moment.”
A woman leader in the town added, “I was not a child when Aresa Oyedepo sold that land to the Local Government in the early 1990s. The land is theirs, and the school wanted it, so we had to buy it back, but everyone knows the situation of Nigeria. Our son, Prince Adebayo, has always tried his best for this town; we pray he does not get tired.”
Youths in Iresa-Adu expressed excitement about the development. “We have been working with Prince Adebayo on every one of his projects; he has never disappointed Iresa,” said one young resident. “This is by far a historical achievement because we will benefit from the higher institution; our grandchildren and future generations will benefit from it as well.”