Former lawmaker and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Oyo State, Senator Ayoade Ademola Adeseun, has explained that his push for the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, was driven by his belief that Nigeria’s development hinges on technical education, skills acquisition, and strategic institutional planning.
Adeseun, who represented Oyo Central Senatorial District and previously served in the House of Representatives, said the idea stemmed from a federal study on the distribution of tertiary institutions across the country.
“The study, conducted by the Federal Ministry of Education, revealed a major imbalance, particularly in Oyo State. Some states had two or three federal institutions, but Oyo State had only one, the University of Ibadan,” he noted.
While acknowledging the prestige of the University of Ibadan, established in 1948 as a College of the University of London, Adeseun described the lack of other federal institutions in the state as “scandalous.”
“As pre-eminent as UI is, to say that Oyo State had no other federal educational institution was scandalous,” he said.
He emphasised that the experience convinced him that every state with a conventional federal university should also host a technically oriented institution to balance theory with practical skills.
“I felt it was my duty as a legislator to do whatever I could to attract a technical tertiary institution to my community,” Adeseun said.
Although the project did not materialize during his first term in the National Assembly, he intensified efforts in his second tenure.
“I took the bull by the horns. I secured the institution, decided the community, the village and ensured it was established,” he said.
Beyond educational balance, Adeseun said the initiative was also motivated by Nigeria’s chronic shortage of technically skilled manpower.
“For a long time, we relied on foreigners, Ghanaians and others, for carpentry, construction and technical services. When their economies improved, they left, and we were stranded,” he explained.
He stressed that Nigeria must move beyond purely academic training to cultivate technical manpower capable of creating jobs, industries, and economic resilience.
“The world is becoming technological. If we do not train people in technologically oriented institutions, we will continue to lag behind,” he warned.
Adeseun welcomed the Federal Government’s recent policy allowing polytechnics to award degrees, calling it a long-overdue reform that will remove the disparity between HND holders and university graduates.
“Once polytechnics begin to award degrees, more students will embrace technical institutions because that is where you acquire real, usable skills,” he said.
“When you look at foreigners coming to Nigeria, Chinese, Indians, Germans, most of them are technologists and hands-on builders. That is the direction Nigeria must follow,” he added.
On choosing Ayede in Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area as the site, Adeseun said his training in Urban and Regional Planning informed the decision.
“From day one, I decided it would not be located inside the town. I wanted a rural location to decongest Ogbomoso and spread development outward,” he explained.
He added that his relationship with the Ayede of Ayede, Oba Adewuyi, his former secondary school Physics teacher, helped build trust and community support.
“When the opportunity came, I approached the late Soun of Ogbomoso oba Jimoh Oyewumi and explained my vision. Kabiyesi supported it and blessed the project,” Adeseun said.
Adeseun also disclosed that the Ayede community donated about 100 acres of land, after which surveys and documentation were completed and submitted to Abuja.
“I secured federal approval and budgetary allocation running into about ₦500 million,” he disclosed.
According to him, stakeholder meetings involving traditional leaders and government representatives were later organised in Ogbomoso to sustain the project, especially as his tenure ended before construction began. He further stated that attempts were made to relocate the institution at some point, but stakeholders insisted it remain in Ayede.
Today, the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, approved during the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, is fully operational. The institution currently runs National Diploma programmes in Accountancy, Engineering, and Computer Science, with emphasis on practical and entrepreneurial training.
The polytechnic has already produced two graduating sets, with another convocation scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, where Dr. Zacch Adedeji is expected to deliver the keynote lecture.
Adeseun noted that the success of the institution demonstrates the value of intentional, policy-driven development.
“The whole world can now see this as an APC achievement. I remain the brain behind it and the principal facilitator,” he added.
