Former Ogun State Governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has criticized the Ogun State government over the federal government’s recent takeover of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), calling it a sign of the state’s failure to sustain the institution.
In an open letter dated March 18, 2025, Daniel acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s initiative in adopting TASUED as a federal university but lamented that the move suggests Ogun State was unable to properly manage one of its key educational assets.
He questioned why a state with a trillion-naira budget could not adequately fund its institutions, stating that TASUED was originally established to expand access to higher education and create employment for Ogun State indigenes.
“With this takeover, Ogun State may have lost its advantage in admissions and leadership appointments, as the federal government will now decide who runs the institution,” Daniel noted.
He urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to redirect resources toward other state-owned institutions, including the four ICT polytechnics and the Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute, which he said have suffered neglect.
Daniel warned that if these institutions continue to deteriorate, Ogun State may have to rely on the federal government for further interventions—something he said could be seen as another failure of leadership.
