pannigeriannews 
By Adewuyi Adegbite
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso was in the news few weeks ago over the incessant robbery incident in the suburbs of the institution. Many of the reporters were out to smear the good name of the university over the unfortunate incident.
According to “Sahara Reporters”, Fulani herdsmen were suspected to be behind the incident. It is heartwarming that the public relations office of the university has come out to defend the university management over the allegation that she is deficient in her responsibility security wise to the institution. According to the office, the management of the university has engaged the services of critical security personnel to monitor the security, both within and outside the campus, especially Under G and Adenike area.
In fact, men of the Nigeria Police, Operation Burst Outfit, National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Vigilante Group, Amotekun and members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) are some of the security organisations maintaining peace and security in the area. In my own view, the security of LAUTECH should be corporate responsibility of all stakeholders in the community. These include the town, that is Ogbomoso community that hosts the institution, the management of the institution, which is performing her function anyway, the business organizations in the area and most especially the owners of hostels in LAUTECH areas.
If there is a synergy between the institution’s management and the aforementioned , insecurity would be a thing of the past. In addition, the students themselves should be security conscious and be able to identify bad eggs amongst themselves or members of the society in their areas and residence and be able to inform the management or security personnel of any potential security threat in their areas.
Meanwhile, I want to applaud the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Razaq Olatunde ROM Kalilu for providing good leadership for the institution this far. His efforts in nipping in the bud crises that bedeviled LAUTECH in the past like incessant strike actions, unstable academic calendar and students demonstration have shown him as a pragmatic leader who, if given chance and supported, would take the institution to Eldorado.
Consequently, I advise the staff, students and the community at large to continue to support the Vice Chancellor in his efforts to reposition the institution in order to perform the function it was built to perform as the hub of technical innovation in Nigeria and sub Sahara Africa.
โฆ.Adegbite, historian and writer, writes from Ogbomoso, Oyo State and could be reached on [email protected]
