Former Ogun State Governor and current Senator for the Ogun East Senatorial District, Engr. Gbenga Daniel, has written an open letter to Governor Dapo Abiodun regarding the recent Federal Government acquisition of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED).
In his letter, dated March 18, 2025, Senator Daniel congratulated the Governor on the Federal Government’s initiative led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but expressed concerns over the implications this takeover has for Ogun State’s educational landscape.
Daniel highlighted that while the acquisition signifies a commitment to the university’s future, it raises questions about the state government’s capacity to manage and fund higher education institutions.
He urged the Governor to ensure that a substantial portion of Ogun State’s one trillion naira budget is allocated to educational development, especially in light of the acquisition’s potential impact on local employment and student admission quotas.
“The unilateral takeover could be interpreted as an indictment of the state’s management of its educational institutions,” Daniel stated, urging the government to restore its focus on other local institutions, such as the Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute and various ICT Polytechnics, which have suffered from neglect.
He called for proactive measures to enhance these institutions to prevent them from facing similar fates as TASUED.
Daniel expressed hope that the state government would use savings from the TASUED takeover to bolster other educational facilities within the state.
*“As a Governor from the Ogun East Senatorial District, you owe our people attention to ensure that specialized institutions do not fall into decline,”* he urged.
Senator Daniel concluded the letter with reassurances of support and an appeal for actions that would benefit the citizens of Ogun State.
This letter reflects ongoing concerns regarding the management of educational institutions and the need for strategic planning to secure the future of higher education in Ogun State.
