Stakeholders and members of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) city of Imeko, said recent inauguration of Oke-Ola road by Governor Dapo Abiodun has broken the jinx of neglect of the entire council area, signalling a dawn of a new era, writes James Sowole
The joy of the people of Imeko, the headquarters of Imeko/Afon Local Government of Ogun State,
knew no bound when the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun last September broke the jinx of infrastructural development in the entire council area, with the inauguration of the 2.4km Oke-Ola Road.
The significance of the project, which in terms of length, looks small, can be deduced from remarks of various stakeholders and personalities that graced the inauguration ceremony. They testified that this is the first time, that ashphalt will touch ground in the entire council area, in more than 15 years.
No wonder, residents of the of the agrarian community and those from the adjourning towns, led by their traditional rulers and prominent indigenes of the area including political leaders, rolled out drums and trooped out in their numbers, to welcome Abiodun, on whom they showered encomiums, for keeping his promise, which they described as a departure from the experiences of the past.
As usual and like Oliver Twist, the event, provided opportunities for various stakeholders that attended the occasion, to make further requests, on challenges confronting them in the area and their grievances after all, it is not every time that they see the governor.
Giving details of the road, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, said it is furnished with lane marking for the users’ safety, while it also has culverts and drainages, where necessary for proper discharge of water to avert flooding, with access slabs at different areas for easy linkage to farms and settlements
“The road is also adorned with streetlights to provide illumination, thus making it safe for night traveling as passengers and travellers are generally protected from the unscrupulous activities of night marauders,” he added.
He said with its completion, it would ease movement of farmers and their town produce into the Imeko township and make food more readily available for the people.
“With its completion, the road will more than before provide a safe and accessible link for movement of man, good and materials especially agricultural produce to major towns in the state, which will in turn boost trading activities and improve the living standard of the people” Akinsanya added.
The Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olanite, appreciated the state government, for coming to the aid of the town which has over the years been neglected by previous administrations.
He said the town, apart from being a spiritual town, has agricultural potentials and called on the state government to invest more on the infrastructural needs of the people, particularly renovation of the oldest school and the palace road in the town.
The monarch said the inauguration of the road was a great achievement for Abiodun’s administration because the area had suffered neglect.
Going historical, the monarch said Imeko is one of the 11 headquarters in Western Province during colonial days, lamenting that it seems glory had departed after the colonial government left the area.
He said, “The road was opened up in 1952. It started from Ilaro and passed through many towns before it got to Imeko and leads to Oyo State. Looking at the neglect that we have suffered, it seems glory had departed this area after the exit of Colonial Administration. But with Dapo Abiodun, we have seen the signal that the glory is returning and this road project, is the beginning of more good things to come.
“Since the Late General Sanni Abacha repaired the road that leads to Imeko, this is the only governor that will construct any road in Imeko with this particular road.
“I am therefore assuring you that the people of Imeko are solidly behind you and we will support your second term fully because we know that we will benefit more developmental projects
Presenting other requests of the people, the Onimeko urged the state government to give attention to Iwoye-Jabata road, to help in the control of erosion problem in the area and to establish Ogun State College of Agriculture in the area.
Equally, the monarch, urged the government to give approval for the Imeko Comprehensive College, that was established by the community in 2013, due to shortage of secondary schools in the community.
The Chairman of the Imeko/Afon Local Government, Alhaji Yayah Fadipe, who could not hide his joy on the project, expressed delight that it came at the his own time and has shamed those who abused him, when he was campaigning for Abiodun in 2019.
Fadipe said, “Though, it is a 2.4km road, but it’s significance cannot be over emphasised. It is a big project to me. Socio-economically, our people will benefit greatly.
“Politically, I am very happy. When I was campaigning for Abiodun during election, they called be bastard because an indigene of the town was contesting. A government that many of them supported spent eight years and nothing came out for us. No single project. Now, a governor I supported in just three and half years, has done this. I am happy that the bastard of that year has brought this for me. I will continue to be the bastard, to move this area forward. We know more good things will come.”
In his remarks, Professor Emeritus of History who is also an indigene of the town, Anthony Asiwaju, lauded the governor for keeping to his electioneering promises, declaring that the governor has written his name gold with the road construction.
The professor said, “I am appreciating the governor for keeping his electioneering promises. When previous administration started Ilara Road, I was there with other prominent indigenes of the community. They only received us. It was a promise failed but today, Abiodun has fulfilled one of the promises he made to us. We are happy and we will support him. We are not saying that he should do all what we have requested immediately, but we are happy because we know that he will do more in his second term”.
Assuring Abiodun of the support of the people, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Governorship Candidate in 2019, Prince Gboyega Isiaka, said the governor only needed to come back and say hello to the people on the election.
Isiaka, who is the House of Representatives Candidate for Imeko Afon/Yewa North Federal Constituency for 2023 Election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the governor had convinced the people that he is a promise keeper.
He said, “We have made our minds on what to do in 2023 Election. We cannot change our mind. The governor only need to come back and say hello to the people because we have resolved to support him.”
In his address, Abiodun declared that his administration has moved from the era of ground breaking to period of projects commissioning across the state noting that the road is strategic to the economic development of the Ogun West Senatorial District and the state in general.
He said: “We have gone beyond the era of ground-breaking, this commissioning is therefore a departure from the past as it is the first to be done in Yewaland in many years.
“The Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle always says all the previous administrations used to do was to come to Yewaland to do ground breaking after ground breaking, they never commissioned. And I said to Kabiyesi that by the grace of God, we are going to break that jinx and today is a historic day not just in the history of this town, but in Yewaland.
“The road project is another symbolic demonstration of this administration’s approach to a strategic, methodical and systemic development of Ogun State.
“It means many things as it is a deliberate approach towards providing a smooth interconnection between the food baskets, industrial hubs and the neighbouring states.
“Ogun State remains the biggest producer of cassava in Nigeria, and one of the largest producers of maize in Nigeria. Imeko/Afon is one of the reasons we take that vantage position. This same Imeko/Afon is also the host of the Oodua Groups Investment Company Limited Cassava Cultivation and Processing Project at Imeko, and some farm settlements. Just a few metres from here is the farm settlement at Oha village”, he noted.
The governor who described the town as agricultural hub of the state, posited that the Oke Ola Road, would also serves an inter-state road as it connects to Oyo State, through Malete town, and help in improving security apparatus along the various border communities in the axis.
“We cannot forget that Imeko/Afon is also a window into the expansive corridor of West Africa, therefore, this road is multi-purpose. On one hand, it is a township road that adds to the aesthetics of Imeko town.
“On the macro-economic plane, it is a boost to our agricultural and industrialisation agenda as it connects our farm settlements with the Oodua Groups facility. It is also an inter-state link and an international access road, therefore, the road further stamps the vantage position of Ogun State as truly a Gateway State”, Abiodun said.
He added that his administration is committed to making Ogun a truly investors first choice destination, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa, reiterating that his government would continue to do a lot of work on job creation, poverty alleviation and food security.
“We will continue to demonstrate our commitment in the development of partnership with our people in education, health, infrastructure, commerce, youth development, agriculture and other key sectors, that have direct and positive impacts on our people.
“Let me call on all relevant stakeholders to continue to cooperate with us. As development partners in the Ogun State project, we will walk this path to glory and achieve the Ogun state of our collective dream”, the governor stressed.
While reacting to requests of various stakeholders, the governor said he had noted all they had said However, Abiodun said he would not make promise that he would not be able to keep.
While thanking the people of Imeko Afon Local Government, for their support, the governor reiterated the commitment of his administration to an inclusive, equitable and fair development and distribution of amenities to all parts of the state, submitting that “any project that has any clear line of service and benefit to the people of Ogun West would be given prompt attention”.
In interview with newsmen, a trader in the town, Mrs. Ganiyat Olatunji, expressed happiness that the road had been constructed by the present administration, saying apart from helping their business to grow, it would accelerate social development of the town.
He commended the governor, for initiating, the Oko Owo Dapo, credit scheme, for traders in the area.
Also, a commercial motorcycle rider, Samuel Ayorinde, said that the construction of the road would increase their income as the damage done by the bad in the past road to their motorcycles would be greatly minimised.
