The Vice-Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Professor Rasak Olatunde Rom Kalilu, has revealed that the university is set to transform the estate of the late Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, into a Centre for African Studies.
However, he noted that significant funding challenges and past vandalism of the estate are hindering immediate use.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Prof Kalilu disclosed that although the estate had been announced as a donation by the Akintola family years ago, LAUTECH only gained full legal possession late last year following the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the family.
“Long before the family signed the MOU, it was just a verbal promise. We couldn’t take possession until the agreement was legally binding,” the Vice-Chancellor stated. “Initially, they offered the university a ten-year lease, but the Governing Council negotiated and secured a 30-year deal.”
Prof Kalilu explained that the estate, located in Ogbomoso, had been extensively looted before the university took possession, leaving only the skeletal structure of the buildings. He described the level of destruction as “monumental,” and emphasized that restoring the facility would cost millions of naira.
Despite these setbacks, the university has included a sum of N10 million in its current budget to begin preliminary rehabilitation. “We’re starting with basic cleaning and securing the premises,” he said, adding that a security guard has already been stationed at the estate.
The proposed conversion will house the newly established Institute of African Studies. According to the Vice-Chancellor, the institute will feature two major centres — the Centre for Material Culture Studies and the Centre for Ogbomoso Studies.
Prof Kalilu also called for the involvement of stakeholders and well-wishers to support the development of the institute. “We are seeking collaboration and financial assistance to bring the vision to life,” he said.
In addition to the estate project, Prof Kalilu addressed the issue of encroachment on LAUTECH’s land, assuring that the university management is actively working to resolve the situation.
The SL Akintola Estate, once a symbol of political history and heritage, may now become a hub for cultural and academic research in the region — a move the university hopes will honour the legacy of the late statesman while advancing African scholarship.
“We will flush out encroachers. They are only going to be there for a while, l assure you, the land is gazetted by the government. We sometimes ago toured the land, the 10, 000 hectares land, and we will soon put perimeter wire (fence) tosecure it before we construct fence.”
