Adeleke University has come under a demolition threat

Barring any last minute changes, a company, Osun Ceramic Industry has threatened to demolish all the structures on the 

large expanse of land which is the location of Adeleke University in Ede Osun state. According to the Tribune newspapers, 

the company has contracted Messrs. J.Solat Nigeria Limited to clear all the structures on the university campus. According 

to a letter written to the state commissioner of police, the company claimed the 120 acres of the university land belongs to

 them, a declaration the University has claimed is untrue.

Speaking through its Vice Chancellor Professor Samson Ekundayo Alao, the university stated that the land belonged to

 them and was lawfully given to them by the late Timi of Ede to support the smooth take off of the university. At the moment,

 both parties have written to the state commissioner of police but it’s necessary this issue is handled better than the sham

 we witnessed last week in Ibadan at the demolition of the Yinka Ayefele owned Music House.

Adeleke University as an educational institution has improved the economic status of Osun state through job creation and

 other value added services. The University established by an indigene of the state, Dr. Deji Adeleke is a testament to the

 business friendly environment in Osun state. It will therefore be counterproductive for the school to suffer any physical

 damage. It is important the police prevent any effort to cause harmful damage on the university as that will send a bad signal 

to would be investors in the state.

It is important to state that the timing of this issue is suspicious,We are close to an election year and this sudden interest not 

just in the land but also the decision to demolish land where the company in question has not produced any binding documents

 proving it does indeed own the land and has also not offered an alternative of being compensated for the land rubs us the wrong

 way. This ongoing conundrum reeks of interference, as the decision of Osun ceramic industry to contract a company for the

 demolition without a court pronouncement backing their threats is highly confrontational to the university. The Osun state government

 is advised to step into this matter as soon as possible and save Adeleke University from total destruction.