President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ijagun, Ogun State, into a federal university, making it the first federally owned tertiary institution in the Ogun East senatorial district.
The announcement was made in a statement on Sunday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Established in 2005 by the Ogun State Government, TASUED is Nigeria’s first specialised university of education. Tinubu expressed appreciation to the Ogun State Government for inviting the Federal Government to take over the institution, describing it as a move to honour the legacies of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr Tai Solarin.
“It is an opportunity for the Federal Government to honour Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who began the revolutionary free education programme in Western Nigeria, and Dr Tai Solarin, who spent most of his life educating our children and instilling patriotic and leadership lessons in them at Mayflower School in Ikenne,” the statement read.
The president also acknowledged the intervention of the Awujale of Ijebuland in preventing the university’s closure in 2012.
He noted that the transition would require minimal federal investment due to TASUED’s existing infrastructure and academic programmes.
“With this adoption, the Federal Government now oversees three universities of education: TASUED, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education in Owerri, and Adeyemi Federal University of Education in Ondo,” the statement added.
The conversion is expected to strengthen teacher education and improve instructional quality nationwide while further integrating TASUED into the federal university system.
