Some stakeholders in the education sector in Oyo State have described the proposed handing over of the Government College Ibadan (GCI) to the Old Boys Association (GCIOBA) as an attempt to hand over property of the public to some individuals
The stakeholders made this disclosure while addressing a joint press conference in Ibadan, the state capital on Thursday.
DAILY POST recalls that Oyo State government under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde a few days ago announced its plan to hand over the institution to old students.
But some stakeholders among whom are members of the Joint Action Front (JAF), Oyo State chapter, Parents Teachers Associations (PTA) of GCI, Centre for Pubic Education, Take it Back movement and indigenes of host communities have urged the governor to rescind his decision.
JAF Secretary, Abiodun Bamigboye while addressing journalists described the plan as an attempt by some individuals to take over what belongs to the people of Oyo State and appropriate it to be their own.
Bamigboye flanked by Professor Ayoola Akinwole of the Centre for Public Education, GCI PTA (Senior School) Chairman, Prince Adeniji Adeniyi, GCI PTA (Junior School 1) Chairman, Mr. Owosibo Olusegun, GCI PTA (Junior School 2) Chairman, Mr. Adebamiji Olatunde and representatives of the host communities, Mr. Babalola SV and Mr. Mudasiru Raji, explained that such a step is a calculated attempt to give public property to some individuals who see themselves as friends and associates of the government of the day.
Bamigboye said, “This group of people only want to take over what belongs to the people of Oyo State and appropriate it to be their own. There is nothing charitable about this takeover. It is a calculated attempt to give public property to some individuals who see themselves as friends and associates of the government of the day. The attraction to this school could be the large piece of land in a choice environment in the metropolis.
”This whole exercise is nothing but a privatisation agenda and commercialization of Education.
“Handing over schools to old students’ association is a misnomer. How does one hand over what does not belong to someone to him or her? This is unknown to the history of education, especially in the southwestern part of this country and it is alien, particularly to Oyo State.
“This handing over is an admittance of failure of governance by the state government. The Oyo State government is surreptitiously telling the people that it cannot manage public properties. Government College Ibadan is public property.
“If the old boys’ association is so interested in school ownership and administration, the laws of Nigeria allow them as a body to establish their own schools and run them the way they like. GCI belongs to the people of Oyo State and it should remain as such.
”The Seyi Makinde led administration should make real his promises, to fight corruption, obedience to rule of law and allow social justice for the benefit of the greatest number of people who live in Oyo state. To hand over this school will negate any effort he has made so far in the state.
“We insist that the handing over is a surreptitious way of giving public institutions to private individuals which is a neoliberalist agenda. The JAF, hereby, join well-meaning citizens of Nigeria to condemn this decision in all ramifications and call for a reversal immediately.
Akinwole also advised Makinde to rescind his decision in the interest of the public.
He said, “The government should rescind the decision. It is wrong. And nobody was consulted before the decision was taken. No consultation”.
The duo of Babalola and Raji who spoke on behalf of the six villages who gave the government the land where the school is built explained that the communities would sue the government to reclaim the land, should it go ahead to hand over the institution to the old students.
The duo who revealed that the land was given to the government for public usage, said any attempts to hand over the institution to the old students amount to a betrayal of trust.
