Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has handed over a model school building initiated by his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, as a temporary site for the newly approved Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta.
Governor Abiodun made the declaration on Saturday during the commissioning of several capital projects at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abeokuta.
He noted that the donation of the school facility, located at Onijaganjagan near Abeokuta, came after a formal request by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who had raised concerns about the infrastructural shortfalls facing the new institution.
According to the governor, “The funding provided for the take-off of this prestigious university would barely be enough to fence the allocated land. After due consultations, we resolved to donate the state’s model college at Onijaganjagan to serve as the temporary site for the take-off of this University of Medical Sciences.”
Abiodun explained that the move underscored his administration’s dedication to collaborative governance, especially in enhancing the healthcare and education sectors.
“This is not the first time we are supporting the federal government’s health-related efforts,” he said.
“Healthcare is a fundamental human right, and we remain committed to improving health infrastructure across primary and secondary levels.”
He also commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for strengthening the National Health Insurance Authority and equipping federal health institutions nationwide.
“The Tinubu-led administration has shown genuine commitment to health sector reforms, and we are proud to contribute to that vision,” he added.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, lauded the state government’s gesture.
“This contribution by the Ogun State government is a boost to the Renewed Hope Agenda and will help accelerate the development of the newly approved university,” he stated.
Dr. Salako also confirmed that the newly commissioned capital projects at FMC Abeokuta, including an oxygen plant and multiple ward buildings, are part of broader efforts to upgrade federal tertiary hospitals across the country.
Former Governor Olusegun Osoba, who transferred the FMC to the federal government over 30 years ago, was also in attendance.
Reflecting on that decision, he said, “I was vilified for handing over FMC to the federal government, but today I am vindicated seeing how far it has come.”
Prof. Adewale Musa-Olomu, the outgoing Chief Medical Director of FMC Abeokuta, outlined some of the facility’s achievements during his tenure.
He revealed that the center handled 40 percent of all open-heart surgeries conducted in Nigeria over the past eight years.
Musa-Olomu added that the medical center is preparing to host the Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences starting September, describing it as “a major milestone in the journey towards medical education and quality healthcare delivery in Ogun State.”
The donated school is one of the model colleges constructed under former Governor Amosun’s administration as part of an ambitious plan to modernize secondary education in the state.
Though many of those structures remained unused after his tenure, the Abiodun administration has since repurposed some of them. For instance, another model college in Kobape has been converted into a tech innovation hub.
