Senator Daniel Highlights Dwindling Fortunes Of Ogun Higher Institutions, Tells Way Out In Letter To Gov Abiodun

Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East Senatorial District, has raised concerns over the declining state of higher institutions in Ogun State following the Federal Government’s takeover of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED).

In an open letter to Governor Dapo Abiodun, the former governor acknowledged the move as a commendable intervention by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but also warned of its broader implications for the state’s education sector.

While congratulating the governor, Senator Daniel cautioned that the decision could be interpreted as “an indictment on our State and the inability of the government to maintain the institution which has attained global rating, especially when the budget of the State has now hit the one trillion naira mark.” in the letter dated March 18, 2025.

He questioned whether the state’s education sector was receiving an adequate share of this budget, adding, “Our people will ask, what is the percentage of our budget that is being allocated to the development of education from such a humongous budget appropriation?”

The senator, who established TASUED during his tenure as governor, emphasized that the institution was originally conceived to expand admission opportunities for Ogun State students and create employment for indigenes.

Expressing concern about the implications of the takeover, he stated, “With this acquisition, Mr. Governor, those quota advantages might have gone, as the Federal Government is now empowered to appoint the leadership of the institution, which may also come from anywhere in the country in line with the nature of our federal character system. Our students’ admission quota, no doubt, would have been abridged.”

Beyond TASUED, Senator Daniel highlighted the neglect of other tertiary institutions in the state, including the four ICT Polytechnics in Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ijebu-Igbo, and Sapade, as well as Dauda Adegbenro Polytechnic in Itori and the Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute (GIPI) in Oni.

He urged Governor Abiodun to redirect resources freed up from TASUED’s budget toward revitalizing these institutions, warning that without urgent intervention, they could suffer a similar fate. “Better still, in the event that the State government is unable or unwilling to fund these institutions, we might as well pray for the same ‘good fortune’ that befell TASUED to visit them, to save them from the clutches of shame of abandonment,” he remarked.

Senator Daniel further reminded the governor of his responsibility as a leader from Ogun East, stressing that history would not judge his tenure kindly if institutions like GIPI and Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic were allowed to deteriorate beyond recovery. “As a Governor who is from the Ogun East Senatorial District, lest it be said that under your stewardship such specialized institutions like the GIPI and Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic went into extinction; you owe our people in Ogun East this minimum of attention,” he warned.

He concluded by urging Governor Abiodun to take decisive action, emphasizing that leadership in public service is ultimately about leaving a lasting legacy that benefits the people. “I wish and pray that God should direct your steps towards posterity in public service, an oath that we all swore to uphold for the maximum benefits and comforts of our people,” he wrote.

Senator Daniel’s letter underscores growing concerns about the future of Ogun State’s educational sector and raises pressing questions about the government’s commitment to sustaining its institutions of learning. The ball, it appears, is now in Governor Abiodun’s court.

The former Governor’s image handlers shared the letter across social media handles on March 27, 2025.