The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday announced a N2 billion intervention fund for various infrastructural developments at the state-owned Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ojere, Abeokuta.
The governor also announced a cash award of N2.5m for each of the best graduating students from the 2015/2016 to the 2023/2024 academic sessions.
Abiodun made this announcement while speaking during the 15th combined convocation of the polytechnic, covering nine academic sessions from 2016 to 2024.
The governor regretted that the decision of his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosu,n to relocate the polytechnic to Ipokia with a change of name to Ogun State Polytechnic had proved to be a setback for the hitherto blossoming institution.
Abiodun said that the challenge of returning the institution to its path of glorious past was one of the early challenges his administration had to crack
He said, that after several trips to the National Board of Technical Examinations, the regulatory body for polytechnic education in the country, coupled with the help of the fact-finding committee set up to bring back the sinking institution, the polytechnic was eventually resuscitated.
Abiodun said that due to the not well thought-out plan to relocate the 46-year-old polytechnic, the institution with a student population of about 30,000 went down to as low as 5000, and that with conscious efforts to revitalise the flagship institution, the school is now coming back to life with about 13,000 students.
The governor has however said that his administration will never leave any stone unturned to continually make the polytechnic a centre of excellence in human capital development
On that note, Abiodun stated, “Let me use this opportunity to unveil some of the intervention projects that we want to embark upon in the polytechnic. We shall be building 500 seater ultramodern lecture theatre.
We shall also be constructing the road leading to the auditorium of the polytechnic, we shall also be building a well equipped modern library, a building for the accountancy department, some other road projects, all of these interventions stand at N2bn.”
He explained further, “For the best graduating student for each session, there is also a cash prize of N2.5m”.
The governor has, however, challenged the 51000 graduating students to be daring, innovative and go ahead to make a difference and impact the world for good.
He said, “To the graduating students, the future may have its challenges, but it also holds endless possibilities. You must therefore be daring, innovative and resilient.
“Let the knowledge and values you acquired here in the polytechnic be your driving force to be change agents. Go forth and make a difference, go and impact your immediate environment, the state, the country, the world at large and forever be a proud ambassador of this great institution”.
In his address at the convocation, the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Babatunde Jolaoso, said that his six-month administration has fostered an atmosphere of peace, stability, and mutual understanding among the staff and the students with a view to continually making the institution a reference point in academic excellence and sustainability.
Dr Jolaosho said that aside pursuing the infrastructural development of the polytechnic, his administration also secured the long awaited approval from the National Broadcasting Commission for full transmission right for 99.7FM MAPOLY Campus Radio, cleared N76m long standing debt owed a commercial bank among others.
The Rector has, however, pleaded with the government for adequate funding of its accreditation exercises, completion of abandoned students’ hostel project, construction of lecture rooms, internal roads, among others.
While congratulating the graduands, Jolaoso urged them to leverage the knowledge acquired while at the polytechnic to make meaningful contributions to society, counselling them to also stay away from anything that could dent their image or that of the institution.
The Chairman, Governing Council of the polytechnic, Emeritus Professor Kamaldeen Balogun, thanked Gov Abiodun for giving the polytechnic the much-needed support and qualitative leadership that is now redefining academic excellence, noted with the institution.
Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians In Diaspora Commission, who gave the convocation lecture titled, “Diaspora Perspectives And The Influence Of STEM In The Globalised World of Today”, urged the youth who wish to migrate to do so legally to avoid some calamitous and heart-wrenching stories.
Dr Dabiri-Erewa painted pictures of how many Nigerians lost their lives or ended up as slaves and forced prostitution for failing to follow the legal route to migrate out of the country.
The NiDCOM boss urged the institution to design policies that encourage collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora and tap into various opportunities such relationships foster to further develop the polytechnic.
