The Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland, Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, has launched the University of Ilesa Must Continue To Rise Initiative with an initial pledge of 50 million Naira and urged well-meaning Ijesa sons and daughters in Nigeria and the diaspora to support the housing intervention scheme to alleviate accommodation challenges in campus areas.
Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup made the commitment at an emergency meeting of traditional rulers, landlords, students, and the management of the University of Ilesa.
The paramount ruler expressed strong disapproval at the exorbitant increase in rent and prices of goods and services in Ilesa compared to state capitals and metropolitan areas across nations, and appealed to the Ijesas to reconsider their pursuit of high profit to allow the university to grow.
The monarch praised the federal government’s various intervention projects implemented through the TETFund , the state government’s significant investment in the university despite the financial difficulties arising from the local government crisis, and the investments made by 180 individuals in the school’s infrastructure.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Hon. Gbenga Onigbogi, stated that the demand for accommodation by students exceeded the available supply; hence, the need for a public-private partnership to meet the demand of over 12,000 off-campus students.
According to him, the student population is expected to increase significantly in the next session to 20,000, emphasizing that the school hostel currently accommodates about 300 law and nursing students.
He said the school is giving interested private developers land to build hostels and 27 years to recover their expenses contrary to the usual 15 years
He maintained that it was unpatriotic for greedy landlords and agents to criminally exploit students by charging 750,000 naira for an apartment.
Hon Onigbogi further stated that to address the issue, a Public-Private Partnership arrangement is underway with the Technical Education Trust Fund to construct an ultra-modern hostel valued at 4 billion Naira, accommodating over 1000 students, just as Mr Sunday Omole is nearing completion of a 180-bedded room facility for the university.
In a remark, the Oloja of Ibodi Oba Sade Agboluaje attributed the development to the high cost of building materials and urged gravel suppliers and artisans to price their services competitively in line with their counterparts in neighbouring towns and cities.
The president of Ijesa Youth Forum, Prince Busuyi Adeleye observed that prior to the establishment of the university house rent at Ibodi Ido Ijesa, Isua, Obeta Sawmill was 20,000 naira per room, but it has increased to 120,000 within 2 years.
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