History of Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State

The Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State was established via a Presidential pronouncement in July 2014. The announcement was followed by the appointment of pioneer Principal Officers (Professor E. A. Fasakin as Rector; Mr. F. O. Adetula as Registrar; Mr. A. T. Orina as Bursar; and Mr. A. A. Olofinsawe as Polytechnic Librarian) on 12th March, 2015.

The same week, the Principal Officers visited the National Board for Technical Education in Kaduna and the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja for all briefing, orientation and documentation that were required of them

The Ondo State Government handed over a section of the Gboluji Grammar School, Ile-Oluji to the pioneer Principal Officers as the Polytechnic’s take-off site on assumption of office. Gboluji Grammar School was established in 1954, and it has produced thousands of Nigerians who either attended it for West African School Certificate or for the Higher School Certificate.

The section handed over was the part that contained long abandoned sets of dilapidated buildings, thus posing the first challenge of starting from zero in terms of facilities and operating base for the officers.

The emanating fear was allayed few days after, when the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Authorities under the astute leadership of Hon. Kole Akinbolarin handed over a group of 14 2-bedroom flats along the Ondo/Ipetu-Ijesa road for use as temporary Administrative Office Complex.

On the 4th of May, 2015, the Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, along with the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr. Masa’udu Adamu Kazaure, mni, Director of Tertiary Education, and other top officials of the Federal Ministry of Education came to the Administrative Complex and declared the new Polytechnic open with all the pioneer Principal Officers in attendance.  The event was also graced by the Late Jegun of Ile-Oluji, Oba Suulade Adedugbe, members of the Jegun-in-Council, top Government Functionaries from the Ondo State Government and elated members of the public, with great joy and celebrations.

On the 5th of May, 2015, the first Governing Council of the Polytechnic was inaugurated by the Federal Government of Nigeria, with His Excellency, Ambassador Abubakar Cika as Chairman. In July, 2015, the Governing Council was dissolved.

The Governing Council was dissolved 2 months after it was inaugurated and the general superintending roles were subsequently carried out by the Expanded Management Committee in place of the Governing Council.

As all these were going on, the Management was working with the Community and the State Government on the allocation of land for the Polytechnic’s permanent site.  In the end, a 150-hectare land situated along the Ondo/Ipetu-Ijesa road, Ile-Oluji was approved for use as the Polytechnic’s permanent site of the Institution.  The Government of Ondo State issued the Certificate of Occupancy (‘C’ of ‘O’) for the said land to the Management of the Polytechnic in September 2015.

By January 2016, Management had undertaken the perimeter and topographic survey of the Permanent Site, and had come up with the Master Plan for the entire Site.

By September 2015, it had been realized that for the Polytechnic to smoothly take-off and enjoy the level of territorial autonomy it deserved, it should not co-share facilities with Gboluji Secondary School within the same premises.  It was understood that there would be undue influence from the Secondary School students and vice versa, and the Polytechnic would not be able to ensure the provision of unhindered teaching and learning.

Consequently, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko acceded to the request of the Polytechnic’s Management and the Ile-Oluji Community, and handed over an ultra-modern ‘Mega’ Primary School with modern facilities to the Polytechnic for use as academic take-off site.

Hence, for the first year, Management was able to move from zero starting point at Gboluji Grammar School to occupy a set of 14 2-bedroom flats as Administrative Office Complex; acquire the Mega School for use as Academic Take-off Campus; and acquire a 150-hectare land for use as Permanent site for the Polytechnic.

Source: fedpolel.edu.ng