If a lie journeys for 20 years, truth will catch up with it in just a day, so says the Yoruba people of Nigeria’s South-West. And that aptly captures the situation in Ogun State where, despite ceaseless onslaughts sponsored by dark forces, the achievements of the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, continue to dwarf the noise of naysayers.
From deep ports to airports, and from rail to road, the Iperu-born Prince continues to record landmarks that establish the Gateway State as Nigeria’s top investment destination. FInheriting a state in which propaganda often overshadowed the provision of infrastructure, Abiodun had his work uncannily cut out for him—bad roads everywhere, chaotic transport infrastructure, a health sector in crisis and an education sector clearly comatose–and it did not help that the same forces who left vast swathes of the state in a state of disrepair for so long were always intent to incite the public and pile their failures on his government using hack and hired writers. They never wanted him, and they loaded the public space with bile against his person and his office.
Instructively, though, in the last six years, hardly a day has passed without stories or videos of road construction in Ogun State. The Abiodun government has taken over the reconstruction of federal roads time and again. The situation he inherited was so gross; it was as if there was no government in place before he came on board. But instead of trading in blames, he took the bull by the horns. He held town hall meetings with stakeholders in each of the three senatorial zones and asked them to list roads they wanted attention on based on priority needs. The demands were daunting, even overwhelming, but even in the first 100 days his intent to reconstruct those roads had become sufficiently clear. He built road after road in various communities, often without fanfare, but blackmail over federal roads, roads which Ogun has more than any of the 36 states, festered anew.
Among others, the road linking the Sagamu Interchange to Abeokuta was in a very deplorable state; it took two hours to reach Abeokuta. The place became a spot for accidents because of the lorries bulldozing their way through. Abiodun reconstructed the road, made it a double lane, and put in place all the necessary furniture. Now instead of two hours, it takes just 20 minutes to reach Abeokuta. Road users rejoiced but the naysayers went haywire: they announced that Abiodun had done nothing even while enjoying the pleasant trip to Abeokuta, their blindness an article of faith. For four years running now, the road has remained in good shape; except for the thieves that stole traffic lights. The Epe Mojoda road and many other roads critical to Ogun interest have been built. The Atan-Agbara-Lusada road was in a very deplorable state, and some residents wanted to relocate. Despite the road being federal, Dapo moved there and started work. Go there and see things for yourself.
Nigerians will recall the sad case of the Abeokuta-Sango Ota road where the then Works Minister, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), refused Governor Abiodun taking over. Still, the governor did palliative works there. Of course, people do not readily separate federal from state roads, which require strict procedure to work on. If you don’t have federal permission, you are on your own. Thanks to President Bola Tinubu that allowed Ogun to attend to the Abeokuta-Sango Ota road that has been a nightmare for a long time.
Abiodun promised to spread development across the state, so that all the 20 LGs will have a feel of government presence, and he has done excellently well on that pledge. But of late, somebody held surreptitious meetings with a group of mercenaries and started de-marketing the governor, saying that all roads in Ogun are bad. The intent is to erase all the good things he has done just because of politics.
But falsehood cannot overcome truth, and what the people see is what they see. People living in Magboro now heave a sigh of relief because the road there will stand the test of time. In the next 20-30 years, there will probably be no need for reconstruction. People living in Arepo are happy. Those in Ajuwon, akute and other areas are happy. These places use to be eyesores Many places in Ijebu Ode, Ijebu Igbo and Ilaro were just like that. The chief blackmailer does not want people to see these: he hired disgruntled hacks to go to areas with bad roads and start posting them on the internet. A ‘pastor’ even promised to lead a vanguard against bad roads.
What happened to the roads before Dapo came into Oke Mosan? If those roads had been well built, how did they suddenly degenerate to their present level? Abiodun’s predecessor was busy demolishing houses everywhere–Mowe, Ibafo, Alagbole, Ilaro, etc–saying that he wanted to create 16-lane roads. But it was a hoax. Yet the critics are laser-focused on the man working day and night to address the years of failure and
ensure that Ogun becomes a centre of excellence, a place of pride for investors. People are now trooping into Ogun to work and live. There is peace and stability. But the naysayers are bad, sad and mad. They believe that in the history of Ogun State, no governor has ever had stability. These evil ones barraged Segun Osoba, and the same Gbenga Daniel who is now throwing stones at Abiodun and his government had a second term that was like hell on earth. Lawmakers’ nudes were published. Political violence was rife. And when Ibikunle Amosun came, it was the same scenario.
Now, 18 months to the end of Abiodun’s tenure, there is peace and stability and the destabilizers are not happy. They believe that he must be distracted. It behooves the people of Ogun State to stop them in their tracks.
They cry day and night that Abiodun has done nothing, yet Ogun now targets 500bn in IGR and recording an influx of industries. The Abiodun government is working simultaneously working on four major highways around Ifo, Sango and Idiroko axis alone, and is fixing the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway. Abiodun has grown Ogun’s GDP from N3.5 trillion to N16 trillion, built over 1,500 kilometres of roads; built an airport that is truly world class; and signed partnerships with many investors, including the Chinese energy firm, CteeC, to build power infrastructure and an industrial parks. He is extending the Lagos State Red and Blue Rail Lines to Ogun, he has exponentially increased the production of rice, maize, and cassava; massively increased primary school enrolment, and upgraded healthcare facilities.
Since the critics harp on roads, then let’s list just a few out of the many that the Abiodun administration has done. In Ogun Central alone, they should go see the Idi–Aba–Elite–One Lantoro Road , Bayo Oju–Ejigbo–Ijeun–Ake Road, Flyover Bridge at Kuto, Lafenwa Rounder–Ayetoro Road (First Phase), Olomore–Sanni Road, Elega–Mokola Bridge Entrance; Ake–Ilupeju–Ago–Ika , measuring 0.4419 kilometres, Obantoko Road (Fajol–American Junction–Unity Estate–Gbonagun; Somorin–Kemta–Idi Aba Road, Abeokuta–Sagamu Expressway, the City Gate Monument Development, Panseke–Adigbe Road, aArepo Road, Siun–Owode Road, Ofada Road, Kuforiji Olubi–Quarry Road, Iyana Oloke Junction to MAPOLY School Gate, Laderin–Train Station–School Gate Road — all completed. Again, there are the Ifo–Tajudeen Adeniran/Olose Titun–Visin Road; Old Bank Road , Olusosun Osoba Town–Agbado Road, Sango–Ota–Oke Aro–Ojodu Abiodun Road, Akute–Denro–Shasha Road, Ajayi Kosoko Street, Ojodu–Abiodun; and the Inner Roads at Itori Junction.
In Ogun East, we have the 3-kilometre Awujale Road, the Ijebu Ode–Epe/Sagamu Bridge Interchange Flyover Bridge, Molipa/Fusigboye/Ayegun/Ofosa Road, and Asafa Oke / Asafa Isale / Ofosa Street. Other roads include Molipa Expressway (Igbeba Garage–Ijebu Ode), Ejirin/Ososa/Igbogun Road, Ayegbami–Olu IGA Streets, Onijogbo–Olia–Saka Asiru–Ijebu Ode Road, Abeokuta Road–Omilowo–New Road, and Ijebu Ode Club Road; Ijebu Ode–Mojoda Expressway and Erunwon–Idowa–Awa–Ibefun–Itokin Road. What about Oru–Awa–Ilaporu–Ibadan Express Road; Igan Road, Ikenne–Ilisan–Ago Iwoye Road, internal road of OGU, Ago Iwoye, Molusi College Road in Ijebu Igbo, and Martin Ikoye Street, Ago Iwoye (1.5 km), Erunwon–Atan Road, Esure–Ijebu Mushin Road, Ogere/Amotekun Base to Orita Imobi Road, Togburin–Agodo–Togura Road (6.1 km), Ibiade/Old Garage Roundabout–LGA Secretariat–Efire–Ijunction Road and Orita Aja–Ibiade–Ipokin Road?
In Sagamu, major roads completed include Oba Erinwole Road, Sagamu Junction–Papalanto Road, Sagamu–Ikenne Road, GRA Road, Hospital Road, Bishop Fashina Baruwa Street, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital Access Road, Aregbale Road, Olumele/Sote Road, Makun, and Hospital Road, Ogijo . In Ikenne, completed roads include Idarika Street Road, Olabisi Onabanjo Road, Araromi/Sokoto Street Road), Iregun/Ita Osikilu/Ilisa Road, Ilisan Market Road, Iperu Roundabout–Ode Phase 2, Oju Ale Road, Ilisan–Ilara Road, Awolowo Road, Ilisan Roundabout–Babcock University Road, and Babcock Road. In Remo North, the Orile Oko Road has been completed, while in Ogun West, projects include the Ikola/Navy/Osi Ikola Road, RAY Power Road, Singer–Toll Gate Road, Joju Road, Sango, Igbesa–Ehila Road (4.5 km), and GRA Road, Ota. In Yewa North, go see the Imasai–Igan Okoto–Ayetoro Road, while in Imeko Afon, the Oke–Ola Road, Imeko is there. In Ipokia, the Ilaro–Koko–Alari Road has also been completed and commissioned and in Yewa South, the Ilaro–Iwoye Road, Iwoye–Owoode–Yewa Road, Owode Yewa–Owode Junction, and the Oke–Erinja–Ibiri Road have all been completed and commissioned.
Governor Abiodun will not be deterred by devious politics. He will instead keep taking Ogun eagle to greater heights.
Bakare sent this piece through seyibakre@gmail.com
