Deaf students protest encroachment of land by govt

Students of Christian Mission School for the Deaf, Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday protested against the acquisition of five hectares from the 16 hectares of land bought by the mission for the establishment of the first university for the deaf students in Africa.

The protest was staged on the site of the proposed deaf university, opposite First Technical University, Ibadan, owned by Oyo State Government, on Ibadan-Lagos Expressway. During the protest, some workers, probably engaged by the government, were on the site moulding blocks and sinking a well on the land. Dozens of bags of cement as well as pegging for foundation of building structures were sighted on the land.

When our correspondent contacted the Commissioner for Land, Housing, and Survey, Isaac Omodewu, on phone, he declined comment on the issue. He said the permanent secretary of the ministry should be contacted. Efforts to meet the permanent secretary proved abortive.

However, Technical Supervisor for the school, Solomon Fasanya, in an interview with journalists, said the 39 acres, which is 16 hectares of land, were acquired in 2004, for training of deaf students from primary school to university level.

He said years after the mission bought the land and started partial development of the site, the land fell into acquisition area by the government and, subsequently, the government wrote a letter to the mission, that four hectares, which is approximately 10 acres, would be acquired by the government.

Credit: Leadership