On Monday, scores of Ogbomoso indigenes trooped out to major areas in the town to express their displeasure over the planned relocation of the faculty of agricultural sciences at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, to the newly established Iseyin campus of the institution.

The Daily Post reports that the Oyo State government has perfected plans to relocate the faculty of agriculture at the university to the Iseyin campus.

This is not the first time the indigenes of Ogbomoso will protest the planned relocation.

In the early hours of Monday, they gathered at Soun Ogunlola Hall to protest the planned relocation of the faculty.

The protest was organized by the apex socio-cultural group in the town, Egbe Omo Ogbomoso Parapo Agbaaye.

The protesters noted that what they were against was taking an existing faculty (that is 33 years old) from Ogbomoso to Iseyin when an entirely new one can be established in the Oke-Ogun community.

Those who spoke during the protest appealed to the state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, to abort the decision and take some of the new faculties proposed to the Iseyin campus.

Chairman of Ogbomoso Parapo home zone, Prince Aderemi Olude, who represented the national president, underlined the fact that Ogbomoso people have nothing against either Governor Makinde or Iseyin people.

He said, “All those who are against this protest are traitors; they are saboteurs. I declare the land of Ogbomoso would swallow them in the name of Jesus, in the name of Prophet Muhammed, in the name of Orunmila.

“We are not fighting the government. These same saboteurs are now saying we did not take action in time and that it is already late, yet they were the ones that refused to facilitate our planned meeting with the Governor for dialogue on the matter; we went to them several times.”

Also, President of Ogbomoso Community Youth Forum (OCYF), Peter Olaleye, who read a speech titled, “Why relocation of the faculty of agricultural sciences at LAUTECH Ogbomoso is undesirable,” emphasized that Ogbomoso is not fighting anyone and that they were not against the university being turned into a multi-campus, but that their concern was moving a foundation faculty, which he posited would leave Ogbomoso poorer.

He said, “We are not fighting the government of His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, as erroneously believed by some of our fathers.

"Rather, we are trying to engage the government through this medium since we aren’t able to meet him.

“It’s only to state our views on a matter that affects our community, its economy, and its wellbeing. We will thus be unpatriotic if we fail to state our views on it. Protest is inherent in democracy.

“Let me state clearly that we are not against the university being turned into a multi-campus, nor are we opposed to the take-off of the Iseyin campus, never!

“Rather, what we advocate is to start the new faculties being planned in Iseyin or any other place(s). That will allow the new campus to grow in accordance with available facilities.”