No fewer than five students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State sustained various degrees of injury while two others with a driver were burnt to death in a lone accident in Osun State.
The Nation gathered that the accident occurred along Osogbo/Ilobu road at Ojutu Bridge, Irepodun Local Government Area on Wednesday, September 27, around 10 p.m.
A source disclosed that the driver wanted to maneuver a group of people who suddenly crossed the road which led to him losing control of the wheel.
The commercial Mazda bus veered off the road, crashed into a ditch, and caught fire.
Speaking with the head of operations, Osun Ambulance Scheme, Elizabeth Arowosafe, confirmed the incident, saying, “Our team was informed of the accident but unfortunately, before our arrival two of them have been burnt into ashes, we rescued six others.
“One of them told us that they are students of LAUTECH coming from an excursion at Erin Ijesa waterfall, she identified the other victims.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Osun State Command, Agnes Ogungbemi, confirmed that another victim died, saying others were receiving treatment at Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.
She noted that the Sector Commander, Henry Benamaisia cautioned motorists to drive cautiously.
The former Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha has said the establishment of the Iseyin campus of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH)’s College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources and the reconstructed Iseyin-Oyo road are age-long answered prayers of the people of Iseyin.
He said preparations were in place towards tomorrow’s commissioning of the institution of learning, adding residents have been anxious to welcome Governor Seyi Makinde and his entourage to the ancient town for the commissioning of the College and Iseyin-Oyo road, which was reconstructed by the Oyo State Government.
A statement by Mustapha stated that now that the age-long prayer of Iseyin people to have a public higher institution of learning has been answered by God through Makinde, Iseyin people have nothing to say than to rejoice and appreciate God.
The statement reads: “We know how long we have been pestering successive State administrations and the federal government for establishment of a public institution of learning, we also know how tedious the road for the establishment has been College and successful approval for the reconstruction of Iseyin-Oyo road, which has been abandoned for many years.”
“The Seyi Makinde’s administration is a testimony to the fact that God never abandoned his own people, this is why we appreciate God for blessing Oyo State with such a kindhearted leader, I will say here again like I always say, that the history of Iseyin will not be completed without the mention of this angel in human form, that has come to govern Oyo State at a critical period that the State required astute leadership.”
Father of sickle cell child insists something went wrong at daughters birth
Says as an SC, he took care to marry an AA
Appeals for public help to support sick daughter
LAUTECH sets up committee to investigate matter
Tobi Adedeji, a graduate of Science Laboratory Technology, who ekes a living riding okada, tells Chinyere Okoroafor the pathetic story of how his daughter, Esther Enioluwa, against all expectations, was suddenly diagnosed with the sickle cell disease. He also spoke of his current financial difficulty, which, he says, makes it difficult for him to provide the baby with the care she requires.
If Tobi Adedeji was told he would one day have a child living with the Sickle Cell Disease (SS), he would have rejected it outright, and taken steps to forestall it. This is borne from the fact that he is well aware of the implication, being a person living with the sickle cell genotype himself. From childhood, he has borne the excruciating pain and suffering associated with the disease and hence would not wish it upon any child, let alone his own offspring.
It was Adedeji’s condition that made him finish his university education longer than necessary. It has also cost him jobs.
As a measure to forestall such reoccurrence in his family line, Adedeji said he deliberately made sure his life partner wasn’t anywhere near the combination that would produce an SS career. His wife, Ronke is an AA genotype.
It is therefore a surprise to him that his daughter, Esther came with the same disease he took all precautions to forestall.
It is also for this reason that Adedeji took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to post a video on a handle bearing Man of Letters @Letter_to_Jack, where he appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to help donate funds for him, so that he could take care of his ailing daughter as well as an easy business other than riding Okada commercial motorcycle, which he says is putting more pressure on his health.
In the video reported by The Nation, Adedeji; dressed in a hooded grey and green top, said it was not possible that he was the biological father of a child who is living with Sickle Cell Disease (SS), while he is SS and his wife AA.
Our sickle cell saga
On why Esther’s genotype was not discovered at birth despite the hospital detecting that she had jaundice, Adedeji said, “They don’t do tests for a baby; that’s a starting age. When she was born on 15th November 2018 at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital. She had jaundice; she also didn’t cry, which made her and her mum to spend a month in the hospital before they were discharged.”
According to him, a test was conducted to determine Esther’s genotype two years ago, when she fell seriously ill and complained of body aches.
“Esther, who is my second child, was close to three years old in 2021 when her genotype was checked. She was complaining of pain. You know my wife is AA; our first daughter who is nine years old now and the last child, a boy who is two years old are both AS. The first and last children were born at Bowen Teaching Hospital Ogbomoso. It was only Esther, the second child that was born at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital.
Because we didn’t nurse any suspicion, we didn’t have any need to hurriedly subject her to a genotype test; and like I told you earlier, they don’t do genotype for a baby like that, although they can do it for a foetus.”
When he finally learnt that their daughter had the sickle cell disease from his wife, Adedeji said he was devastated. He said he left everything he was doing in the Mowe area of Ogun State, where he resided with his wife and headed to Ogbomosho to find out the truth himself.
“I was not even the one that took her to do the test because I was in Lagos. My mom took her to the clinic for the genotype and I was like, ‘maybe there was a mistake, my daughter can’t be SS.’”she said, “I feel bad, because I just don’t understand. But I know that scientifically she shouldn’t be SS. We’ve done my genotype several times, about four to five times, and it is still the same AA.”
“As a mother, I feel for her situation but I have to be strong for her. Though, it’s not all the time that she has a crisis, but whenever she does, it is so bad. It would last for like three to four weeks,” she said.
LAUTECH reacts
Reacting to Adedeji’s claim, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Omotayo Ogunleye said: “This is a clinical case and as we speak, it is before the Hospital Management. I don’t have the directive to speak on the matter.”
Responding to The Nation’s enquiries on latest development in a telephone conversation midweek, Ogunleye said: “I’ve been on leave for over two weeks now, I should be in the office next week on Thursday. By then I should have information about the details of fresh developments. I can however tell you that a committee has been set up to look into the case.”
Plea for financial support
Adedeji also pleaded in that X video for help: “Please I need help. I have lived all my life in pain and I don’t want my daughter to face the same thing I’m facing. I used to work in Lagos before but I lost my job due to my illness. I have lost several jobs due to my illness, so I can’t work in any private sector because they don’t understand my situation. Please help me, I’m jobless. Out of the four children that my parents gave birth to, I’m the only surviving child.
“My parents are old. My father is a farmer and does the little things he can. My mom is not doing anything right now; she retired in 2014 from Ogbomoso General Hospital. “Please, I need help. I can’t do this on my own, and I’m tired. My daughter has been admitted into the hospital twice this year; this is besides other crises she has had and which we have managed ourselves. “I have spent a lot, please help me, I’m going crazy.
You won’t believe it, my situation and the challenge of taking care of my sick daughter has driven me to the brink of suicide. “I have even attempted to commit suicide this year but failed; I was rescued by the hospital. I’m ready to face anything or answer anybody because of my daughter,” Adedeji said.
Speaking in a telephone conversation, Adedeji said his financial situation and the agony of watching Esther go through pain without being able to give her good medical care drove him to lamenting on the social media.
Though a graduate, Adedeji revealed that his only means of livelihood is riding okada, which he says is not well-paying.
“Okada is the only thing that I’m doing for now and it is not even entirely mine; I got it on hire purchase. I didn’t have any other option. “It has been almost two months now since I made any remittance. I am supposed to remit monthly to the owner; otherwise he takes back his bike.
“This okada job is not really something I’m keen on but I need to earn something for a living. To say the truth, I need help; I’m dying silently.
“You know how hard things are nowadays; if I keep telling people to give me money, how much can they possibly give me and for how long?
“If I can get help, be my own boss and start my own business; then I can make good money and be able to take good care of my daughter. I will be able to feed her well and at the right time, take care of her daily routine and medical need. That, at least, will reduce the level of crisis she currently suffers. On many occasions, we simply make do with drinking garri to keep hunger at bay.
“My wife manages a primary school job, where she earns a mere N20,000; that’s the school my children attend because they give her a discount.
“My situation is so bad that I now see myself as an irresponsible father who is not able to provide for his family the way he should.
How can I be watching my daughter crying like this and not able to render any help? It’s what I’ve gone through all my life, so I know the pain. That’s why I feel sad each time I look into her eyes and see her cry.
I have also come to love her, and I know she loves me too. If she’s sick and refuses to eat, once she sees me and I pet her, she relaxes and eat.”
Haematologist suggests genetic studies
According to the Consultant Hematologist at Alimosho General Hospital, Dr. Orolu Adebukola genotype testing is done by regular haemoglobin electrophoresis and the tests is not as sensitive as High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) test.
She explained that haemoglobin electrophoresis separates haemoglobins based on their size and electrical charge.
“So once we put the blood sample into this electric field, depending on what charge the haemoglobin carries, it moves in the electric field, and as it’s moving, it separates the haemoglobin into different bands.
So, we could have A, S and C separated bands. That is what haemoglobin electrophoresis does. We inherit one gene from the father and one from the mother. In the electrophoresis strip, there is a band; if we have one band of the A, we will assume the second band is A, because no other band is seen. If we also have one band of S, we will assume the other band is S, because no other band is seen. If we have one A band and one S band, we will agree that it is AS; also if we have one A band and one C band, we will agree that it’s AC.
“If we have a double on the electrophoresis strips, we call it homozygote, which means you have a double form of one gene; either AA or SS depending on what you have inherited. So, on the strip it only shows us one; and if we can’t find any other gene, it means that is what it is. That is how the test is interpreted. She explained that the haemoglobin quantification test using HPLC is another sensitive test that would show a true picture of Esther’s genotype.
“Haemoglobin quantification is another way to diagnosis, where we have this kind of Esther’s issue.
“I will advise the couple to do a haemoglobin quantification test using HPLC to quantify how much A the wife has, how much S the husband has. Someone with haemoglobin abnormality can have a qualitative or quantitative abnormality of haemoglobin. The qualitative abnormality is caused by an abnormal protein in the haemoglobin such as haemoglobin SS and SC.
“But there are some haemoglobin abnormalities like hemoglobinopathy of thalasaemia, that do not make enough haemoglobin proteins and can cause illness. If the quantity of the second haemoglobin is very low, the haemoglobin will not be picked up by the haemoglobin electrophoresis test strip.
“We also have what we call thalassemia. Thalassemia has quantitative abnormalities; so most of the time, on haemoglobin electrophoresis strip, we don’t assess what we call haemoglobin A2 in Nigeria. We don’t do that often. Our test is not as sensitive as that. What is more sensitive for A2 haemoglobin is the haemoglobin quantification using HPLC, which is known as the higher test.
“So, that will help us to detect the A2 there. In people who have thalassemia, their A2 is high. That helps us to detect what the person has. A person has A but a high A2, which gives us the idea to know this is a thalassemia trait. The (remove the) A person may have one A and the second one could be a quantitative effect that could not be noticed, but if you do hemoglobin quantification (via HPLC), we will be able to quantify how much A the person has, how much S or whatever genotype the person has.
But thalassemia as I mentioned, A2 is particularly important for us to make a diagnosis. So if we do the haemoglobin quantification and we see A2 of above 3.5%, we will suspect thalassemia. But to make a diagnosis of thalassemia, we will have to do genetic studies, which is another higher level of test.
“If the wife is AA, you know that it’s just one A that showed on the electrophoresis strip. The second A might just be a qualitative defect. So what if the child has inherited one S from him as the father and the second-gene or haemoglobin that the child inherits is that other abnormal quantitative defect in the mother’s second A – like thalasaemia?” Dr Adebukola asked.
In the final analysis, Dr Adebukola suggested that genetic studies be carried out to know what may have gone wrong.
Senate of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State has approved the withdrawal of certificate issued to Akeju Oluwanisola Femi, a graduate of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, for refusing to appear before several panels raised to investigate his allegations of victimisation against an unnamed lecturer in the Department of Pure and Applied Biology of the University.
The alumnus, who graduated in the 2013/2014 academic session, with Matriculation number 083659, had in a publication of March 15, 2018 on Naijaloaded, an online medium, claimed that a certain lecturer failed him in a particular Biology course for six years.
All efforts made by different arms of the institution to enable Akeju shed more light on the allegations before various investigation panels allegedly yielded no fruit.
The school said he allegedly refused entreaties made to him towards ensuring that he got redress and bring the said lecturer to book.
According to a statement by the university, “other spurious claims contained in his write-up included that he sat for BIO 101, 102, 104 and 106 and scored grade ‘A’ in all of the courses. Investigation into his academic record, however, indicated that Akeju registered for and passed BIO 101 (E), 102 (E), 103 (E) and did not register for BIO 104 in his first year in the university until the second semester of his extra year in 2013/2014 session and passed with ‘E’ grade.
“Bothered by the negative effect of such allegations on the university’s profile and the fact that he has continued to fail to honour several invitations by the panels set up by the university, the authority has therefore decided that, all rights and privileges extended to Akeju as an alumnus of this university stand suspended.
“Other sanctions approved by the university’s Senate are that issuance of academic transcript to him is suspended forthwith; the statement of results issued by the university to Akeju be immediately invalidated, and that his academic certificate be withheld until further notice.”
Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola and Oyo State governor-elect Seyi Makinde have promised that their administrations will work to ensure that the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, succeeds.
LAUTECH is co-owned by the Osun and Oyo State governments.
Oyetola and Makinde spoke when the university management visited them in their states.
Governor Oyetola said his administration is proud of the high standard of education obtainable in the institution, and promised to support it to combat its challenges.
The governor promised that his door would be opened at all times to the Governing Council and Management.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Ologunde, appealed to the governor to empower his management to put a permanent end to incessant strikes occasioned by inadequate funding.
Makinde promised to “rescue the school from the claws of death”.
The governor-elect urged the Prof. Ologunde-led administration to consolidate on the university’s leadership position, saying his government was not against disciplining students and workers, provided it is done with human face.
Prof. Ologunde reiterated that the school management had no hand in the suspension of the Students Union President, Mr. Abiodun Oluwaseun.
According to him, proscribing the union became the last plausible option to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
The management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has offered to join the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in its fight against drug abuse, especially among youths.
LAUTECH’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Michael Ologunde, made the promise while hosting the agency’s Area Commander in Ogbomoso, Mr, Aminu Yusuff Ahmed, and his team.
Ologunde said the nation could no longer continue to watch the future of its youths get destroyed by drug abuse.
Promising to support the NDLEA and the Drug Free Club of the university to educate students on the dangers of drug abuse on their careers, The vice-chancellor said LAUTECH would henceforth make it mandatory for intending leaders of the students’ union to undergo drug tests before they are certified qualified to contest for various positions.
Ahmed told the vice-chancellor about the high prevalence of drug abuse in Oyo State and Ogbomoso.
He said students were responsible for the high figures the agency was contending with.
“We will appreciate your making use of our counselling and rehabilitation centres as a means of recovering anybody arrested from the path of peril,” Ahmed said.
Two days after the crisis caused by use of hijab at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) International School, normalcy has been restored in the school as academic activities have resumed without any hindrance.
On Monday about 55 female students who wore hijab on the school uniform were barred from entering the school premises, while others were forced to remove their hijab before been allowed into the school premises.
The vexed issue which attracted public attention last Monday was resolved after a peace meeting between Muslim students’ parents, the school management and security agents as well as other stakeholders.
The parents who said that they have waited for several years to ensure that their children are allowed to use Hijab in the school urged the management of the school to expedite actions on the matter.
They urged the school authority to consider the issue as an emergency situation which should be treated with required expediency.
The parents under the auspices of LAUTECH staff school and LAUTECH international college, Ogbomoso, Muslim Parents’ Forum, expressed their grievances on the failure of the school management to address the Muslim parents early enough.
The parents in a communique made available to journalists in Ibadan after a peace meeting held with stakeholders of LAUTECH Staff school (LSS) and LAUTECH International college (LICO), Ogbomoso, argued that “the school process is a continuum and nothing should retard the ongoing efforts of the Committee that has been put in place to address the issue of Hijab”.
In attendance at the meeting were: Chairman Governing Board (LAUTECH International College, Ogbomoso), Chairman Governing Board (LAUTECH Staff School), Chairman Ogbomoso Parapo, Chairman PTA LAUTECH Staff School, Chairman PTA LAUTECH International College Ogbomoso, Chairman LAUTECH Security Committee, DSS Ogbomoso North Local Government, Principal LAUTECH International College Ogbomoso, Headmistress LAUTECH Staff School, Representative of the LAUTECH Public Relations Unit and representatives of Muslim Parents.
The concerned parents in the communique signed by the duo of Mr. Ismaheel Adigun and Mr. AbdulRahman Elegbede, Chairman and Secretary respectively, a copy which was made available to newsmen yesterday, stated that the process relating to the use of Hijab by willing female Muslim pupils of LAUTECH Staff School and LAUTECH International College be concluded in earnest.
The statement reads, “Sequel to the peaceful meeting held on Monday 14th January 2019 at LAUTECH International College, Ogbomoso (LICO) premises with the key stakeholders about the use of Hijab by the willing female Muslim pupils, the followings were the key highlights of the resolutions at the meeting.
“That the process for the consideration of the use of Hijab has dragged too long since 2011; That the parents strongly express dissatisfaction on the unruly behaviour and arrant use of vulgar language by some teachers against the Muslim parents.
“The Muslim parents expressed their grievances on the failure of the School management to address the Muslim parents early enough while attack is coming from teachers.
“That it was observed that there was a communication gap between the management of the schools and the Muslim parents on the ongoing efforts of the School in respect of the use of the Hijab by willing female Muslim pupils.
“That a committee had already been put in place by the Governing Board to look at the issue of the School uniform as it relates to Hijab among other things. An appeal was made to Muslim parents to allow the ongoing process of the Committee be concluded.
“The management should consider the issue as an emergency situation and should be treated with the required expediency. That the school process is a continuum and nothing should retard the ongoing efforts of the Committee that has been put in place to address the issue of Hijab.
“We humbly appeal that the process relating to the use of Hijab by willing female Muslim Pupils of LAUTECH Staff School and LAUTECH International College be concluded in earnest”.
About 55 female Muslim students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) International School Ogbomoso were on Monday prevented by authorities from entering the school premises over the use of Hijab.
A senior lecturer in the school, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the students were turned down by the institution’s authorities for wearing Hijab on their uniforms.
He said: “The story was dated back to 2011 when the first request was made to the Governing Board of the School to allow our willing Muslim females children to use Hijab as part of their school uniform in line with Islamic dictate.
“Since 2011 barely eight years ago, several letters of appeals had been written to the Governing Council, while we wait endlessly without any concrete positive response to our simple request.
“Our Muslim girls over the period have been using Beret instead of Hijab in their own case contrary to the Islamic dictate.
“While our patience overtime as law abiding citizens was premised on our belief that the Management of the School will do the needful and give regard to the rule of law and provision of the constitution guaranteeing fundamental human rights of everybody.
“Having waited endlessly since 2011, it was decided on the 4th of January, 2019 that our willing Muslim female children should commence the use of Hijab as School resumes on January 7, 2019”.
According to the senior lecturer, the situation in the school on Monday morning was tensed as teachers forcefully removed hijab from the children and barred those who refused to abide from entering the school.
“The children in the school presently were under scrutiny, teachers are threatening. They are removing Hijab on them.
“The girls disagreed. They disallowed them to enter. It’s noisy presently. The school is still on.
“Our Muslim children that used Hijab are still outside the school,” he said.
The principal Ibrahim Animashaun urged the parents and the students to await the decision of the school board of governors before further action.
Animashaun informed newsmen the status quo remained until the board decides whether to allow or ban the use of Hijab in the school.
He said: “The school board of governors is yet to approve the use of Hijab. And the board is looking at their letter.
“So we are yet to communicate them. Until we communicate with them. The status quo remains until the board approves their request.
“We spoke with the aggrieved parents that their letter is still with the board.
“LAUTECH International School board of governors is looking at their letter”.
Full academic activities for the 2018/2019 academic session have begun at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Lecturers in various faculties took off as students were elated that the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had ended.
A walk through the main and mini-campuses in Ogbomoso and Osogbo in Osun State showed that life has returned to the university.
More students have arrived but were not sure lectures would begin.
President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Comrade Abiodun Oluwaseun, monitored the resumption with members of his executive committee.
They expressed satisfaction with the directive to resume, saying: “We are all happy and impressed that lectures are actually taking place in all the places we visited. As a union, we cannot ask for more; we only want to appeal to those of our lecturers who are still not cooperating to join hands with their colleagues to salvage LAUTECH.
“The number of students who have resumed is also very encouraging. We have stakeholders to thank for this New Year gift. It is most appreciated.”
The chairman of the institution’s Parents and Teachers’ Committee, Rev. Israel Olaniyan said the parents were happy at the resumption of lectures.
He said: “It is the news that we have always waited for. Our joy as parents knows no bound. But we plead with the two governors to help ensure that workers are paid at when due so that we can hope for uninterrupted academic sessions.”
The Chairman of the Ogbomoso branch of LAUTECH Alumni Association, Dr Azeem Ige, said all hands should be on the deck to salvage the university from further deterioration.
He urged the leadership of ASUU, especially at LAUTECH, to seek peaceful resolution of any crisis.
Ige added: “Some of us graduated from here and we are, therefore, committed to the well-being of this Institution. We are ASUU members and are fully aware of what the association is fighting for. But we also have to consider the plight of our students. Our appeal is for our leaders in the association to consider other means while teachings continue.”
The Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Alumni Association, Abuja Chapter, has congratulated Prof Michael Olufisayo Ologunde, who is to succeed Prof Adeniyi Suleiman Gbadegesin as the Vice-Chancellor of the university.
Dr Kayode Ogunleye has also being appointed the new Registrar, and Mr Abayomi Okediji the Bursar.
All the new officers are expected to assume office on February 14, 2019.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its Chairperson, Dr Toyin Ajenifujah-Solebo, and the Secretary, Mr Kunle Adigun said Ologunde’s tenure would be a new dawn for the institution.
“Being a foundation member of staff of the institution, we believe that the new Vice Chancellor Designate have a full understanding of the institution and he will reposition the institution to an enviable status which it belonged to in the comity of tertiary institutions in the country.
“We are proud alumni of LAUTECH and we have gladly represented the institution across the globe. We would want the younger generation to also be confident in representing the institution. We want to urge the state governments and the VC-Designate to evolve strategies that will put an end to the perennial strikes that the institution has been lately renowned for,” they said.
They praised Oyo State Governor Isiaka Ajimobi and Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the Governing Council for the transparent way in which Ologunde and other principal officers were selected.
Ologunde, born in 1954, hails from Ajagunlase-Iwo in Ola-Oluwa Local Government, Osun State. He had his first degree from the University of Nsukka; his Masters at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and PhD at LAUTECH.
He is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology and a member of the World Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
