The development that makes rent go higher and above the financial power of the students must stop
Oba Sefiu Adeyeri, the Aseyin of Iseyin in the Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, has issued a call to real estate agents, urging them to cease exploiting students attending higher institutions in the community under the guise of collecting a percentage on their house rent.
The Monarch said this during a meeting of stakeholders regarding the necessity of finding a long-term solution to the complaints of students attending the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Iseyin campus. The meeting took place on Wednesday at the Aseyin’s Palace in Iseyin.
The monarch asked the students to direct their complaints to a special committee that had been established specifically for the purpose of addressing the issue of extortion from the real estate agents.
Segun Fasasi, the Publicity Director of Ebedi Frontliners, Iseyin, issued a statement on Thursday that was made accessible to newsmen in Ibadan. In the statement, Fasasi stated that the monarch had ordered that any agent who was seen disobeying the warning would be given the opportunity to face the law.
It reads, “I called this meeting after members of EFI came to me and asked that I should urgently intervene in the accommodation crisis being faced by the students of LAUTECH.
“I told the group about the efforts earlier made that have made peace prevail, but it is important to hold this one to have updates and find a lasting solution.
“We heard from the students of cases whereby three or more agents would give out a particular accommodation and all of them would charge 10 per cent ‘agent fees’ differently.
“The development makes the rent go higher and above the financial power of the students. This has to stop.
“As I have earlier said, no agent must be caught extorting the students anymore. If anyone is caught doing that, the law will be allowed to take effect on such a person.”
The meeting was attended by a number of individuals, including the Deputy Provost of the LAUTECH College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources, Professor Lamidi Ojedapo, the Secretary of the College, Folayowon Adesola, the Chairman of the LAUTECH Local Committee, Waheed Olaniyan, and the Chairman of EFI, Segun Adeleke, amongst others.
In terms of infrastructure facilities, the Monarch expressed gratitude to Makinde for providing Iseyin with the recognition it deserved.
He praised the LAUTECH governing council, particularly Titilayomi Ahmadu, who is the representative of Iseyin in the council, for her promptness in drawing attention to matters that pertain to the school.
The early intervention of the Aseyin, EFI, and other stakeholders on the issue was something that Yusuf Abdulrasak, one of the representatives of LAUTECH students who attended the meeting, expressed gratitude for.
Yusuf said that other areas of concern, such as transportation and safety, have also been addressed by the Stakeholders.