- Governor: Circular Road will become state’s economic backbone
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lauded Oyo State Governor ‘Seyi Makinde for making Ibadan, the state capital, liveable and making residents comfortable by executing projects aimed at easing transportation and making life more meaningful for the people.
He said this yesterday in Ibadan at the inauguration of Ibadan Central Bus Terminal, Iwo Road, Ibadan, which has two mega bus stations built with waiting halls, ticket spaces, eateries, public conveniences, open vehicular parking space, electrical power generating house, water reservoir, elevators and escalators, among other facilities.
Governor Makinde has responded to the ongoing protests over the 110km Ibadan Circular Road, saying he would engage with legitimate property owners affected by the project, but that everyone must realise that the project mattered greatly to the future of Oyo State, as it would become the economic backbone of the state in future.
Chief Obasanjo praised Governor Makinde for doing well for the people of Ibadan and Oyo State by building people-centred projects, including the bus terminals, which, according to him, would ease transportation within Ibadan, the third largest city in Nigeria by population and the largest in terms of land area.
He noted that the constructions of the terminals in Ojoo, Challenge and the two in Iwo Road would make movements easier for residents, and that whatever development Makinde is making to happen in Ibadan is beneficial to the rest of the Southwest, as the metropolis is not only the capital of Oyo State, but also the capital of the defunct Western Region, the Old Western State, and by extension, Yorubaland.
He said: “Governor Makinde, you have done so well. You are making Ibadan liveable and you have been trying to make everyone living in Ibadan and the state comfortable.
“Ibadan, in population, is the third largest city in Nigeria but in land area, it is the largest. So, to move from point A to B in Ibadan is longer than moving from point A to B in the other two cities said to be larger than Ibadan in population. These are Lagos and Kano. And, if you are going to make it convenient for people to live in Ibadan, to trade in Ibadan, there must be availability of transportation and that is what these bus terminals are meant for. The two here and the two in Challenge and Ojoo are meant for that.
“You invited me three days ago to this event; I didn’t hesitate. I came here because you are an ‘Omoluabi’. Before anyone can invite me to an event three days to the time, he must be someone I hold in high esteem. For you, if you call me a day to the event, I will come. You resemble me in a lot of ways. When people tell me Makinde is doing this infrastructure and all that, I always tell them why won’t he do it? He is an engineer. A professional engineer, who knows how to fix things. But you have added another feather to the cap, you are now also into political engineering.”
The former president counselled the governor to remain focused and undeterred by those attacking and insulting him over some of the ongoing development efforts, noting that “those abusing you today will praise you tomorrow. I was also abused too and they have come back today to praise me. That is how it is.”
He advised residents of the state and Nigerians, who would use the facility, to ensure it is put to good use and well maintained.
Governor Makinde said his administration built four modern bus terminals, including Challenge, Ojoo, New Ife Road and Iwo Road, to enable residents of the city to move freely and not be encumbered by transportation challenges known with big cities.
He said the completion of the Ibadan Central Bus Terminal was a demonstration of his government’s determination to engineer a modern Oyo State, noting that his administration had gone about building different infrastructure projects without politicising development, which was what some people, who had been attacking his administration, loved to do.
The governor pointed out that Oyo State Government built the dual carriageway from Iwo Road to Adegbayi to ease transportation pressure on the axis and that it had even applied to the Federal Government to extend the project to the Oyo State boundary at Asejire, among other projects embarked upon by the state to ensure that its residents did not go through unnecessary hardship.
He said: “With this inauguration, we have completed all four modern terminals in Ibadan including Challenge, Ojoo, New Ife Road and Iwo Road. The next administration will do for our other cities including Ogbomoso, Saki, Iseyin, Ibarapa and Oyo.
“Why did I talk about the next administration? I only have 18 months to go.
“We projected a 12-month completion for the project. But as you all know, a global pandemic, supply disruptions and other realities slowed us down. So, we completed the first two.
“Today, the cycle is basically done. And it is a celebration of our determination. Because what we are witnessing today is a proof that promises made can indeed become promises kept.
“This spot used to house a mosque. When I came, I worshipped in that mosque. At the end of that Friday worship, I announced to everyone that it could be the last time we would worship in that mosque, because we had to demolish it. As usual, they played politics with it. But I promised them that I would replace the mosque that we wanted to demolish with a modern mosque, and we have done that.’’
Responding to the ongoing protests on the ongoing 110km Senator Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road, the governor said the project was not just a road project, but also an economic backbone of the state, adding that the intention was not just to build a highway, but also to create a space where industries, logistics hubs, and estates could emerge to support the growth of Oyo State over the next decades.
