Academic activities have ground to a complete halt at the Iseyin Campus of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), plunging students into uncertainty as lecturers have deserted the campus. The lecturers cite a severe lack of basic facilities and resources needed to perform their duties, leaving students without formal instruction for three to four months.
Lecturers Cite Infrastructure Deficit as Reason for Boycott
The crisis stems from the relocation of the Faculty of Agriculture and the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources from the university's main campus in Ogbomoso to Iseyin, a move initiated by the Oyo State Government years ago. However, lecturers have refused to resume teaching at the new site, alleging it is unfit for academic purposes.
Investigations reveal deep-seated grievances among the academic staff. Sources disclosed that the nine programmes across the two relocated faculties are being serviced by only three lecture halls, a situation described as grossly inadequate. Lecturers argue that each programme is supposed to have a designated hall.
Beyond classrooms, the practical components of the agriculture-based courses have been severely compromised. According to the lecturers, the university failed to adhere to the Nigerian Universities Commission's (NUC) recommended distance from classrooms to farmlands. Furthermore, they claim that promised farmlands have been reclaimed by the local community.
"We have MOUs with The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) and other agencies for farming on 250 acres in Ogbomoso. How do we resolve that here in Iseyin where there is no proper land mass for agricultural activities?" a source questioned. The situation is so dire that out of 18 required training units for student internships, none has been provided at the Iseyin campus.
Students Lament Wasted Time and Money, Plead for Intervention
The students, caught in the crossfire, have become the primary victims of the impasse. They have sent out desperate appeals to the government and all stakeholders to salvage their academic future.
Comrade Tiamiyu Taiwo Ademola, Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS-JCC Oyo) and a LAUTECH student, voiced the collective frustration. "The situation is so unbearable for us students. Imagine we have been here for the past three to four months. No lecture, nothing. It is not done," he lamented.
Ademola highlighted the financial and academic toll, stating that parents have committed significant funds, yet students receive neither theoretical classes nor the crucial practical sessions required for their agricultural studies. He described the lecturers' abandonment as "wicked," while also noting that student leaders are conducting their own investigations into the matter.
Community Appeals for Calm, Assures of Ongoing Development
The Iseyin community, which hosts the satellite campus, has called for understanding from all parties. Community leader, Honourable Waheed Olaniyan, acknowledged the lecturers' initial reservations about the relocation, which they felt was done without proper consultation with the University Senate.
However, he appealed to the academics to support the government's development policy for Iseyin. Olaniyan confirmed that work is ongoing to address the infrastructure gaps, countering some of the lecturers' claims.
"Right now, there are two lecture theatres and our brother Alh Hammed Raji has built another. There are 22 office rooms constructed... Another over 40 office rooms are under construction," he stated. He urged the lecturers not to "destroy the lives of the students" and to allow the government to build upon existing structures gradually.
The standoff continues as students remain on campus with their education in limbo, awaiting a resolution between the academic staff union, the university management, and the state government. The crisis adds to recent challenges for the Iseyin campus, which previously suspended activities following the tragic death of a student in a hit-and-run accident.
