The Oyo State Government has said it isn't interested in reprimanding protesting students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho,
The Oyo State Government has said it isn’t interested in reprimanding protesting students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, who were seen in a video talking to Governor Abiola Ajimobi in a rude manner. It said that its immediate concern was to ensure that the school reopens this month, adding that attempting to discipline the students would amount to reopening an old wound. The students, who had taken their agitation to the Government House in Ibadan, were protesting the eight-month closure of the institution due to a strike by its workers who downed tools as a result of the non-payment of their salaries.
According to the Special Adviser to the governor on Communications and Strategy, Yomi Layinka, the state government had moved on and the governor had met with the management and other stakeholders of the institution after the protest last Monday.
“There is no recriminatory action or plan to punish the students. The state government is not on a revenge mission. The protest actually ended in a reconciliatory note. It is unfortunate that the video was released four or five days after the protest. A lot of positive things had happened after the protest and the state has moved on.
“The protest took place on Monday and the video was released on Friday. By Wednesday, the governor had met again with the representatives of the students, the leadership of all the unions as well as the management of the school. So, clearly, we had already moved on and plans were already afoot. The Visitation Panel headed by Chief Wole Olanipekun has yet to submit its report but the governor’s immediate concern is to do whatever can be done to resolve the crisis and get the school.”
According to Layinka, the sum of N600m was earmarked by Oyo and Osun states to pay striking workers and ensure the reopening of the school, adding that the state government did not shut the school.
“It is important to note that the school was not shut by the state government. It was shut by the management of the school and it will be reopened by the management of the school. The concern of the government is to do whatever can be done while we are still awaiting the report of the panel,” he said.
In related news, one of the governor’s daughters, Ajibola has alleged that she is being threatened with violence over a post on her instagram account where she lambasted and lashed out at the LAUTECH students calling them a manner less generation.
“I wish to state that this story is completely false. It is malicious and willfully targeted at maligning my character. This is an example of irresponsible journalism that has now incited hatred and violence against my husband, my children and myself. Over the last 48 hours my reputation has been tarnished and my family and I have been subjected to cyber bullying and harassment. I have also received threats of violence as well as limitless insults as a result of this false publication.
“I wish to state that the instagram page referred to as ‘conceited_csj’ through which it was alleged that I made the purported statement does not belong to me. Having once been a student myself, I am sympathetic to the plight of the LAUTECH students and empathize with them.
It is unfair that people would publish stories without establishing the authenticity or verifying the truthfulness of the stories they are publishing,” she said in parts.
Ajibola
