The government of Oyo State has begun the process of renaming the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
Seyi Makinde, the executive governor of Oyo State made this known recently when he disclosed that the renaming of the university became necessary in view of the move to make the institution a conventional university.
LAUTECH was established in 1987 by Adetunji Olurin, the then military governor of Oyo State, now split into two states: Oyo and Osun. However, the university was ceded to Oyo State in 2020.
The incumbent governor of Oyo State revealed that in his efforts to make the university a conventional university, he has approved a bill entitled 2022 LAUTECH Amendment Bill, to be forwarded to the State House of Assembly.
According to Makinde, “The bill proposes to amend the objectives of the university to accommodate other fields of study. The bill has been approved at the executive council meeting held on Tuesday.”
The governor further explained that the LAUTECH amendment bill, when passed into law, will enable the institution to offer courses in different fields of studies outside the field of technology.
Moreover, Makinde noted that the LAUTECH amendment bill will enable the university to establish faculties in the areas of Humanities and Law.
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“This is to enable the institution to offer courses in humanities, law, and other fields for qualified candidates, as approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
“So, the bill, in essence, seeks to amend the name of the university to Ladoke Akintola University (LAU) instead of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.
“It is also to amend the objectives of the university to accommodate other fields of study and alter its present status as a strictly technical university to a regular university, which will translate to having more campuses in humanities to carry some courses like Social Sciences, Law, Management, Education and other fields of studies in art and humanities.
“The bill is also to encourage and promote scholarship and conduct of research in all fields of learning and human endeavours and as well correct an omission by allowing the university to make provision for the establishment of pension scheme for its staff; as you are all aware that the pension is regulated now by law consistent with state policy on pension,” Makinde said.
Recall that what is now known as Ladoke Akintola University of Technology was initially called Oyo State University of Technology. The name of the university was changed to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology after the separation of Osun State from Oyo State.
