By David Olalekan.
The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, has perfected plans to build an airport within its campus in pursuance of its aeronautic programme.
According to the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Eyitope, who made the disclosure on Monday at the 2019 Faculty of Technology International Conference, all necessary requirements and logistics needed for the airport and commencement of the programme had been earmarked.
He added that the OAU was on the verge of becoming the hub of aeronautic studies in Nigeria as no federal university in the country offers such programme.
Prof. Eyitope said, “We believe that the future of travel globally is in the air. It is in view of this that we are starting an aeronautic programme. As part of this, we will be having our own airport.
“We have over 11,000 hectares of land, with which we hope to achieve our objective and we have developed a proposal for the airport. We will be taking it up with the authorities to ensure that we do not only have the aeronautic programme here, but also build an airport that will serve that purpose.
“We want to make OAU the hub of aeronautic studies in Nigeria. Currently, no federal university in the country offers a programme in aeronautic studies. We believe that with OAU taking up this challenge, we can go places with it.
“This idea was contemplated some years ago. Now we are very serious with it. We have the drawings in place and the land has been earmarked. Everything that we need for the airport and to start the programme is ready.”