After nearly two decades of neglect by successive administrations, former Ogun State Governor and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s visionary educational project has finally received its due recognition with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approving the federalization of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED).
The federalization marks a vindication for Daniel, who pioneered the establishment of Nigeria’s first specialized university of education in 2005 against significant odds and with remarkable foresight.
“It was a monumental undertaking that required immense political will,” said a close associate of the former governor. “OGD didn’t just conceive the idea—he transformed the entire landscape of Ijagun, developed infrastructure, and personally championed the accreditation process with the NUC.”
Records show that Daniel’s administration meticulously converted the former Tai Solarin College of Education into a full-fledged university after relocating the college to rebuilt facilities at Omu Ajose Comprehensive High School. The original campus underwent extensive development, including major road networks constructed by OGROMA, creating the foundation for what would become a pioneering educational institution.
What makes Daniel’s achievement particularly remarkable was its groundbreaking nature—TASUED became the first University of Education in Nigeria, only the second in Africa, and approximately the fifth worldwide. This positioned Ogun State at the forefront of educational innovation on the continent.
However, the years following Daniel’s tenure saw the institution largely sidelined. “Since 2005, successive administrations have not done much to further develop the institution,” Daniel noted in a recent statement. This period of relative neglect continued even as the institution was renamed Sikiru Adetona College of Education by the current state government.
Education experts point out that the federalization under President Tinubu’s administration represents not just an administrative change but a powerful validation of Daniel’s original vision. The move is expected to inject much-needed federal resources into the institution, potentially transforming it into a national center of excellence for teacher education.
“Sometimes, visionary projects require time before their true value is recognized,” noted a senior education policy analyst. “What we’re seeing now is the belated acknowledgment of a pioneering educational model that was ahead of its time.”
For residents of Ogun State and educational stakeholders nationwide, the federalization signifies that Daniel’s educational foresight has finally received its due recognition at the national level, promising a renewed future for an institution that began as one man’s ambitious vision for transforming education in Nigeria.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
