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The National Universities Commission (NUC), yesterday, presented Letter of Recognition for the official take off of University of Ilesa, Osun State.
The ceremo.ny signalled the successful completion of the formal documentary process for the establishment of the university.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, who received the letter from NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed at NUC Secretariat, Abuja, reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring the establishment of the university would not put unnecessary financial burden on the state.
The governor said the event had further laid credence to his commitment to upgrading the 44-year-old College of Education to a university.
He described education as the bedrock of socio-economic and political development, saying the establishment of the university would go a long way to address palpable deficit in university education, particularly in the state and beyond.
He said the university would help to train and equip a diverse group of youths with professional skills, entrepreneurial ability, and innovative insights, especially in agri-business, mining and health.
“The establishment of the University of Ilesa is necessitated by the massive gap between qualified candidates and available space in existing higher institutions within the State, as education remains the primary industry in Osun. The yearning is considerably insatiable, and as responsible leaders, we cannot ignore these needs. The new university shall focus on agriculture and agri-business to address food insecurity; mining technology, building on the abundant gold deposit in Ijesaland; and Medical Sciences to enhance the human resource need in the health sector.”
NUC boss lauded the governor for the initiative. He noted that the establishment of the university remained one of the most important legacies of Governor Oyetola, adding that the governor established the university in the “right place, with the right people. I am sure the people of Ilesa will not allow it to go under.”
By the recognition, the university becomes the 60th state university and 220th university in Nigeria.
