Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde, has ordered the immediate suspension of Michael Ologunde, the Vice Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

This was disclosed in a letter dated April 16, 2021 and signed by the Oyo Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olasunkanmi Olaleye. Mr Olaleye said Mr Makinde also directed the vice-chancellor to hand over to the next principal officer in rank.

The letter did not state any reason for the suspension of Mr Ologunde, a professor of food science and engineering, who was appointed as vice chancellor in December 2018.

“His Excellency, Engineer Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, Governor of Oyo State and Visitor to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has directed that the Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Professor M.O. Ologunde, should step aside until further notice,” the letter reads. “Consequently, the Vice Chancellor has been directed to hand over forthwith to the next Principal Officer in rank in order to ensure uninterrupted flow of normal activities in the university.”

LAUTECH, a jointly owned university with neighbouring Osun State has suffered protracted challenges ranging from leadership bickering to workers welfare to utter neglect by the proprietary states. Mr Makinde moved his state to fully take over the institution as part of his campaign promise.

The university was ceded to Oyo following agreements between the two states in November 2020. The agreement was consummated by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

LAUTECH was established by the old Oyo state government in 1990, but the creation of Osun state in 1991 led to joint ownership of the institution.

Abubakar Rasheed, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission announced the dissolution of the joint ownership of the institution.

“The mutually agreed dissolution was formalised through the signing of a memorandum of agreement by the executive governors of Oyo and Osun states, witnessed by the attorneys-general of both states, giving legal effect to the transfer of ownership of LAUTECH to Oyo state and the College of Health Sciences to the government of Osun state,” Mr Rasheed had said and also promised that the commission would ensure the full implementation of the terms of the agreement.