TASUED’s Takeover by FG Exposes Ogun Govt’s Failure — Gbenga Daniel Drops Bombshell

Former Ogun State Governor and now Senator, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, just threw some serious shade at Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration. And honestly, he didn’t hold back.

In a spicy open letter dated March 18, 2025, Daniel reacted to the big news that the Federal Government has officially taken over Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ijagun, Ogun State. While the senator praised President Bola Tinubu for stepping in to rescue the university, he made it super clear that this move isn’t exactly a win for the Ogun State Government. According to him, it’s a loud and clear sign that the state failed to take care of itself.

Let me break it down for you. On March 9, 2025, the Federal Government announced that TASUED is now a federal university. Gbenga Daniel, who actually founded TASUED during his time as governor 20 years ago, believes this “adoption” is basically the FG saying, “You guys couldn’t handle it, so we’re taking over.”

In his open letter titled “Re: FG Takeover of Tai Solarin University of Education: Matters Arising”, Daniel praised President Tinubu as a visionary leader. He appreciated the President’s effort to give the institution a fresh lifeline. But then, in a plot twist, he called out the Ogun State Government for letting things get so bad that the FG had to swoop in like Superman.

Daniel didn’t mince words. He pointed out that Ogun State’s budget is now over ₦1 trillion, you heard right, ₦1 trillion! Yet the government couldn’t keep one of its top educational institutions afloat.

He went on to ask: “How much of that massive budget actually goes into education?” He fears that this takeover is proof that the state government abandoned TASUED, leaving it to struggle and almost fade into history.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Daniel reminded everyone that when he created TASUED, the plan wasn’t just about education. It was also about creating jobs, increasing school admission slots, and giving Ogun State students more opportunities to study at home.

Now that TASUED is federal property, those perks might disappear. The Federal Government will call the shots, hire the top officials, and decide admission quotas. So, Ogun State folks who used to have the upper hand may no longer enjoy that advantage.

But Gbenga Daniel didn’t stop there. He urged Governor Abiodun to wake up and stop neglecting the other state-owned schools. He listed several institutions, including the Gateway ICT Polytechnics in Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota, Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic in Ijebu Igbo, and the Petro-Gas Institute in Oni. According to him, these schools are also on life support and could face the same fate as TASUED if the state government doesn’t step up.

He cheekily added that if the state can’t fund these schools, maybe they should pray for the same “good luck” TASUED got, meaning another federal takeover.

In a nutshell, Daniel is saying: “Hey, Ogun State Government, you dropped the ball on TASUED. Don’t let history repeat itself with the other institutions.”

He wrapped up by telling Governor Abiodun, who’s also from Ogun East, that the people deserve at least the bare minimum: don’t let their schools die out under your watch.