Families whose lands were acquired for the establishment of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso have raised alarm over non-payment of compensation to them, 34 years after its establishment.

It will be recalled that LAUTECH was established as Oyo University of Technology (OSUTECH) in 1990 by the military administration of old Oyo state led by Colonel Sasaenia Adedeji Oresanya.

The name of the institution was changed to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in honour of Late Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, an indigene of Ogbomoso and the last premier of the defunct Western Region.

The institution was jointly owned by both Oyo and Osun states when Osun state was created in 1991 until 2020 when the institution was finally ceded to Oyo state government.

Families of those who are the owners of the expansive lands where the institution is situated have raised an alarm over the state government’s inability to compensate them.

Some of the affected families are Ile Agunbiade of Isale Afon in Ogbomoso and Olugbon family in Orile-Igbon. The families alleged that no compensation has been paid to them since the lands were acquired in 1990.

Spokesman for Agunbiade family, Engineer Simon Adeshina, while speaking with journalists on Thursday noted that all efforts made to get the compensation have been proved to be abortive.

Adeshina maintained that about 15 families own the lands where LAUTECH is situated. He used the opportunity to appeal to both Oyo and Osun state governments to compensate the families.

Agunbiade said “My family is among the families that own the lands where LAUTECH is situated. We have been on this matter for long and thank God that you journalist is asking us what is happening. Our lawyers have been going to Ibadan on the matter.

“There are so many things on the lands. We have our settlements there, villages and economic resources. But, they took the lands from us without compensation. We have not been paid. We want the governments of the two states to know that we need compensation. They should compensate us.

“My people of Ile Agunbiade of Isale Afon Ogbomoso are one of the major land owners of LAUTECH land. Since about 34 years ago or so we have not been compensated, not one kobo.

“Government is proving difficult. Since 20 years ago we started the request for compensation after allowing the University to take off. But funny enough Osun government has been paid the cost of their share of assets in LAUTECH, about N8 billion, while Oyo state government retained N92b worth of assets.

“Osun has no land in LAUTECH but were paid off including the value of the land of the asset shared to them sits on. So we plead with the Oyo state governor to pay compensation for the value of our land, which is an inheritance. We also appeal to Osun state government to do the same, from the value of the assets shared to them.

“Developers and properties’ consultants say land value in an asset is about 10-20% depending. If the total asset valued in 2020 is N100 billion, then our compensation average is about N15 billion. At least to assuage the loss of d inheritance, we should be rewarded.”

“There are about 15 families including the Olugbons. But Agunbiade family has the 2nd largest land mass (village settlement) after the Olugbons. We want the public to be aware of this and help us appeal to the two governments of Oyo and Osun. I want to say that an uneasy comfort is brewing amongst the landowners of LAUTECH.

“Our people cannot even eat, since we started this round of agitation. Our lawyers have been in the Ministry of lands in Ibadan more than 6 times having meetings with them after writing letter of compensation. Infact according to the lawyer using the 1978 Land Use Act decree, vesting all lands in Nigeria is in the governor’s purview. It requires that a notice to acquire the land must be published for such intention which they never did. So by implication, we are not aware and they have simply encroached on our land. But I told the lawyer by reason of reality we have passed that stage and we should move to compensation rather than seek to recover the land since due process was not followed,” he added. (Nigerian Tribune)

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