From Hope to Ruins/Ogun Youths Protest Over Polytechnic Decay

Ipokia – Outraged youths in Ipokia, Ogun State, have accused Governor go Abiodun of neglecting the Ogun State Polytechnic project initiated by his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. They claim the governor has abandoned the institution, leaving multi-billion-naira structures to rot while students in the region are denied access to higher education.

Holding placards in protest, the youths demanded that Abiodun fulfill his promise to ensure that the institution becomes operational, rather than allowing it to remain a ghost town overtaken by criminals, bush, and even farmers planting cassava and corn on its vast land.

The abandoned project was originally part of Amosun’s plan to upgrade the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) in Abeokuta into a university in 2017. Amosun relocated the polytechnic to Ipokia, constructing several academic and administrative buildings. However, Abiodun’s administration reversed the move, returning MAPOLY to Abeokuta and leaving the newly built facilities in Ipokia to waste away.

According to a visit by journalists, the site has now become a haven for destitute individuals and suspected criminals, with human waste littering classrooms, roofing sheets falling off, and lecture halls decaying due to neglect.

During a press briefing, the Chairman of the Ipokia Youth Development Council, Tunji Idowu, lamented that the failure to activate the institution had shattered the hopes of many young people.

“The presence of a higher education institution in Ipokia promises not only to enhance educational opportunities but also to spur economic development, create jobs, and foster a culture of innovation and growth in our communities,” Idowu stated.

He reminded Governor Abiodun of his visits to the site in 2021 and 2023, where he acknowledged the structures on the ground and promised that Ipokia deserved more than a polytechnic. Despite these assurances, nothing has been done, fueling anger and frustration among residents.

“Your Excellency, the people of Ijebu-Igbo will never forget Chief Olabisi Onabanjo for Olabisi Onabanjo University, and the people of Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode will never forget Otunba Gbenga Daniel for Tai Solarin University of Education. If you fulfill your promise on this project, history will remember you kindly,” Idowu declared.

Adding to the outrage, Lagos State University lecturer and Ipokia indigene, Dr. Yakub Oyebo, argued that the lack of a higher institution in the town forces local students to relocate to distant cities like Abeokuta, Ijebu, and Lagos, making education unaffordable for many.

Meanwhile, Ogun State’s Deputy Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kafilat Adeoye, echoed the call for Abiodun to act, emphasizing that governance is a “continuum” and that abandoning the project is a betrayal of Ipokia’s development.

When contacted for a response, Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, requested a text message but failed to provide any reply as of the time of this report.

With billions already invested and structures left to decay, the question remains: will Governor Abiodun allow this project to die, or will he finally fulfill his promise to Ipokia?