• Rector, Professor Oludele Itiola
The attention of the authorities of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, has been drawn to an on-line opinion of a writer by the name Soonest Nathaniel, titled “6 Notorious Tertiary Institutions in Africa, your Nigerian child must never attend”
Soonest (believed to be a Pseudoname) described our Institution as one with a reputation for unintelligence; qualifying our students as being unserious. He claimed further that a “survey” revealed that “many of our female students get to leave school, and head back to trade their bodies in the neighbouring Lagos State”. Cultism, he said is on the rise at the institution, adding that “many fear that the development is getting out of hand”.
While not trying to join issues with a nameless and faceless “opinionist”, this publication becomes imperative so as to set the records straight and disabuse the minds of few readers who may have considered the write-up.
To describe students of a Tertiary Institution as “unintelligent” is tantamount to blasphemy. It is indeed laughable that “Mr. Soonest” could not provide the yardstick with which he concluded that our students are “Unintelligent”. In the same vein to describe the students as “Unserious” is equally shocking because even at National Diploma level, the students have shown brilliance and attained academic excellence on many fronts (ICAN and APCON are a few examples). Many patentable products, such as Solar Power Street Lamps, Fueless Generator, a Kerosene- Petrol Generator, Electronic Ballot Box to list but a few, produced by the students are testimonies to how well our students are engaged.
Also of importance is the spurious manner in which “Soonest” described the female students. Such utterances are not only baseless but unbecoming of any responsible individual.
Surprisingly, the write-up touched on cultism as getting out of hand, a claim which is now completely alien to the Institution. Academic activities on the campus have not been suspended or truncated in any way in several academic sessions attesting to the peaceful environment on our campus.
The fact that the Polytechnic is in the process of transiting into a university lays credence to the standard of the Institution.
The management of the Institution therefore wishes to advise “Mr. Soonest Nathaniel” and his likes to desist from attempting to damage the reputation of the Institution or be ready to face legal consequences.
Signed:
Sulaimon Adebiyi
Public Relations Executive