THERE appears an end in sight to the crisis that has engulfed the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, as Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun State had phoned his Oyo State counterpart, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala and scheduled a peace meeting for today, to avoid the threat issued by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The NUC had, on Wednesday, in Abuja, threatened to withdraw the operational licence of LAUTECH should the management fail to resolve the crisis rocking the institution within two weeks.

Governor Oyinlola, according to a nine-paragraph statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser (Media), Mr. Lasisi Olagunju, called Governor Alao-Akala around noon on Thursday on the need to see that the university did not die, adding that the duo consequently scheduled a meeting for today.

He made the disclosure during a courtesy call on him by opinion leaders from the state, under the aegis of Osun Forum.

Meanwhile, Governor Alao-Akala has confirmed the meeting scheduled for today to iron out differences on the ownership of LAUTECH.

His Special Adviser on Public Communications, Chief Dotun Oyelade, in a four-paragraph statement signed by him on Thursday, confirmed that Prince Oyinlola gave Alao-Akala a phone call as a prelude to the peace meeting.

The statement said, “Governor Alao-Akala had earlier visited the Osogbo Government House for a breakfast a few days ago on the way forward over the vexed issue.”

Governor Alao-Akala added that both of them should pursue the honourable path and make the welfare of the students paramount in all that they do, adding that, “media grandstanding is unhelpful.”

The nine-paragraph statement signed by Olagunju added that Oyinlola had earlier on Thursday promised the final year medical students of the school who visited him in Osogbo that he would initiate peace moves once again with Alao-Akala in the interests of thousands of students and workers of the institution.

In their remarks, the students had enjoined Oyinlola “to deploy his skill as a peace-maker to resolve the crisis with Oyo State,” saying that the NUC statement was a potent threat against their future.

According to the statement, “Oyinlola, who sympathised with the students, said his government had always toed the line of peace in the matter, noting that as a father, he believed nothing should be done to truncate the future of the students of the university.”

He noted that the university was established 20 years ago when both he and Alao-Akala did not know they would one day become governors, adding that both of them owed the past and the future the duty of keeping the university alive.

The governor promised to explore other peace options, including direct contacts with Alao-Akala to save the university from the NUC sanction.

LAUTECH medical students association president, Gbenga Akintunde and his executive members had also held a meeting with Alao-Akala where they lauded his vision.

Governor Alao-Akala assured the students that they would not suffer any academic disadvantage, stressing that the distraction would come to an end soon.