AAU Ekpoma, is Gasping for Breath, Esan People Must Come to Her Rescue

Ambrose Alli University is Gasping for Breath; Esan people must come to her rescue.

By: Oriaifoh Godwins

“I see my year of incarceration as a continuation of my years of service and my widows mite’s contribution to the future of our beloved country. I bear no grudge against anyone"

- Prof Folorunso Ambrose Alli

The above words, said by late Professor Ambrose Folorunso Alli, were perhaps one of his last public statements before ill health held him down and eventually took him away from us. Rest in peace, the torch bearer.

Professor Alli came, he saw and he conquered; even after several decades of his exits from this world, his name lives on and his legacies are still being enjoyed by generations after him.

The big question is this;’ For those politicians of today, if/when you die, what will you be remembered for’?

The Ambrose Alli University,  Ekpoma, that is named after Professor Folorunso Alli, is today Gasping for Breath, as it is being rumored that Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has again renewed his thoughts of bulkanizing the university by proposing to relocate the Faculty of Engineering to Benin.

I used the term “has again” because, sometime in 2022, he made an attempt, but when that attempt was vehemently challenged by many people of rational thoughts, he retreated; but from the look of things, it appears he only temporarily retreated. The big question now, is: “why is Mr. Godwin Obaseki bent on destroying Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma”?

It is gradually becoming clear that the Special Intervention Team, SIT, that was appointed to manage, and supposedly 're-position' Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, was sent to the university to execute a  sinister and cladestestine agenda of destroying Ambrose Alli University; otherwise, the extension of the tenure of the SIT, is QUESTIONABLE and VERY WORRISOME, especially bearing in mind that the law setting up the SIT, permits it to operate for one and a half years; but after the expiration of the stipulated/legal period, the SIT period of operation was again extended by nine months by the governor of Edo State. Is this extension of nine months aimed at finishing the unfinished work of destroying AAU? This is a big question that every Edo citizen, every Nigerian and of course, every human being of good conscience need to answer.

Finally, may I remind all well-meaning Esan men and women, all Edolites and Nigerians in general that controversies has been raging over the closure of the College of Education Igueben, by the governor of Edo State, and now, Ambrose Alli University,  Ekpoma, is systematically being shut down  with the sudden increase in the school fees, and introduction of several charges. The non/selective payment of staff salaries is not helping matters either. As Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma is gasping for breath, this is a special call on all Esan people, all leaders of good thought and all human beings that love good things, to prevail on Governor Godwin Obaseki to take his kneels off Ambrose Alli University’s neck.