The Students’ Union Government of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) has written an open letter to Governor Seyi Mankinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo state over proposed change of institution name, GISTSMATE Media reports.
In the open letter signed by President of the union, Comr. Adeboye Anuoluwa, he stated that the name LAUTECH has been in existing for over 30years, and changing it to LAU will do more harms than good.
Citing institution like ESUT as an example, student union argued that adding new courses to the institution should not be reason behind renaming it.
See the full letter below;
STUDENTS’ UNION GOVERNMENT
LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSO
Dynamism, Equity, and Integrity
AN OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR SEYI MAKINDE ON THE PROPOSED RENAMING OF LAUTECH
Your Excellency Sir, we Ladokites sincerely appreciate your efforts so far and plans to further develop our dear great institution in all areas. However, the changing of the name of our dear institution would do more harm than good to the image of the institution. It will cause more distractions and even sabotage most of your salient efforts in the continuous development of LAUTECH.
The name LAUTECH has been in existence for over 30years and has generated enough goodwill. Changing the name of our institution would affect this goodwill negatively. The strength already gathered by the name LAUTECH can all be forgotten if there’s a name change. Instead, Your excellency can look inwardly and see to the better recommendation of more ways in which the institution can progress further.
LAUTECH as it were, has started operating as a conventional University lately. Courses such as Marketing, Economics, Business Management has commenced earlier on. On Monday 7th February 2022, NUC visited our dear institution, LAUTECH, for the proposed Departments of English and Literacy studies, Philosophy, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Sociology, and History. They all came to study the University’s preparedness to commence the new Programmes. Hence, there is no need to hide under the so-called change to conventional University as this doesn’t have any effect on the name. A case study is ENUGU STATE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (ESUT) which is offering some of these conventional University courses yet retained her TECHNOLOGY name. Further investigations revealed that ESUT is offering Law as a course and doesn’t affect or warrant their change of name in any sense. Why then do we have to opt for a change of name?
All great institutions, including personalities, care a lot about their Legacy. LAUTECH as a citadel of learning has been through both thick and thin just to earn the Legacy. LAUTECH started from scratch (from the days of OSUTECH in which nobody was offered OSUTECH certificate rather LAUTECH certificate) through the days of constant strikes and finally, the institution has made it to the top and has become a reputable University worldwide. The Tech inclined here in LAUTECH is part of what is making the University soar high amidst her contemporaries. ? Or do we have to talk about external grants and sponsorship the University is enjoying because of the Technology part?
Your Excellency Sir, kindly reconsider the idea of renaming the institution. While we leave it untouched, let’s focus on creating future and lasting solutions to what can return us to days of old. More firms within the University should be created that can boost the IGR of the University. More Research centers should as well be created to expose and also attract external bodies in and outside the countries to the University; these and many more. Our dear institution needs to be boosted to a point such that even without enough subventions from the government, our Institution can continue to run without any delay or outcry.
Your excellency Sir, LAUTECH as an institution has produced a lot of different icons and reputable individuals in this country and overseas, hear our voice as we all collectively say we stand with the name LAUTECH and as true Ladokites we are saying that the name and Legacy of Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology (LAUTECH) be retained.