Removal Of “Illegal” Structures On Ojoo-Akinyele Interchange: A Cross Makinde Must Carry Alone// Sola Abegunde
I listened to the interview Governor Seyi Makinde granted a couple of days ago and after carefully analysing the details, I felt there was nothing worth dignifying in the interview.
As usual, Governor Makinde seized the opportunity of the interview to engage in empty and reckless talks.
At best, the statements he made during the interview provided another series of comic reliefs.
When I listened to Governor Makinde declaring that he has the capacity to be president in 2027, I asked myself, what is news about that?
Talk is cheap. Even, a roadside mechanic, who had F9 in all the subjects he sat for in WAEC or GCE can make the same statement and heavens won’t fall.
I decided to make a few comments about the Governor Seyi Makinde theatrics when I saw a disjointed rejoinder to the press release of the Oyo APC regarding the subject matter, by an unknown author this morning.
I struggled to read through the said rejoinder and I felt like, the writer, who, at any rate is not bold enough to affix his name must be very idle.
For me, anytime I heard or read about anyone saying they want to contest the presidency in 2027 under the PDP, the first question I always ask such a person is, which PDP?
Is it the same PDP that has lost its identity and ideology to the extent that even sitting Governors under its platform now dance around the same Tinubu they said they want to unseat, singing, ” Baba Oyoyo” and no one is bold enough to call them to order?
The same PDP that a sitting Governor on its platform publicly declared that Tinubu will serve a second term?
As for Governor Seyi Makinde, how can you eat your cake and still have it?
Makinde and his gang of G-5 has sealed the fate of the PDP since 2023 due to selfish reasons and even, Governor Makinde himself knows.
If I am Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there is nothing in this world that would please me more than having a Seyi Makinde on the ballot as a contender for the presidency in 2027, that is, if Makinde himself is serious about the ambition.
If I see Seyi Makinde on the PDP’s ballot as presidential candidate in 2027, I am certain that the outgoing Governor of Oyo state has secured for himself, another lucrative assignment just like he and the G-5 did in 2023.
Job for the boys. Once a boy is always a boy.
Tinubu knows how to get the boys busy. Simple as that.
This is a good time to do business and Governor Makinde is marketing his products.
So, why would I bother myself about someone who I know lacks the capacity to do what he says he would do?
Presidency my foot.
Let me leave the ” iregbe” and get to the purpose of this particular piece.
I see no sense in dignifying the rantings of an attention seeker with a headline.
Before you know it, the same Seyi Makinde would be gallivanting all over the place, campaigning for Tinubu while claiming that he is fighting for “fairness, justice and equity”.
I have read the explanations of the Oyo state Ministry of Works regarding the planned demolition of some structures along the Ojoo-Akinyele Interchange.
I see that Professor Sangodoyin, in that Press statement, made heavy weather about the Federal Highway Act, Cap 135.
The Act in question is a warning for the general public not to tamper with the Right of Way, (ROW), covering 45. 72m on either side of a Federal Road.
Professor Sangodoyin is very right. That is exactly what the Law says but I have a big problem with his conclusion.
Professor Sangodoyin stated the Law but he failed or neglected to tell the public who, in the instant case is invoking the Law.
The Law is there as a sleeping dog. It is the Oyo state Government that is waking it up and Governor Makinde, not the Federal Government must accept responsibilities for the destruction that is about to be visited on the Ojoo-Akinyele Interchange.
I am surprised that Governor Seyi Makinde is prioritizing the rehabilitation of a Federal Road where large scale destruction would be visited on the citizens of Oyo state over and above the plethora of abandoned and neglected state roads scattered all over the state.
The antecedents of Governor Seyi Makinde regarding public spaces is a source of worry.
We all know exactly what will become of the spaces immediately the destruction is effected.
We know Governor Makinde’s style of first sourcing a bad name for a dog before eventually hanging the dog.
The talk in town is that the Governor would eventually hand over whatever remains of the affected areas to developers and collect good money therefrom. ” Abulesowo”.
The same scenario is playing out at the Circular Road corridor.
This one will not be different.
So, why is Governor Makinde trying to push the blame on the Federal Government?
He invoked the Law. He must accept responsibilities.
Like I said, there are hundreds of state roads begging for Government attention.
The Ido-Eruwa road is just 48klm and it has become a puzzle the Makinde Government could not solve in six years!
About 95 percent of trunk B and C roads across Oyo state have become death traps.
The Governor has continued to deprive the Local Governments the resources to maintain and rehabilitate Local Government roads.
I listened to him talking about how he had built a good road network to connect the zones of Oyo state to the state capital, Ibadan during the interview he granted a couple of days ago and I remember what our Elders used to say about a guest and the host.
” Onile kan, ati alejo kan lo ma nparo fun ara won”.
Little will the anchor of the interview know that the story of Governor Makinde is just like the proverbial cushion chair which is smooth on the surface but filled with rubbish.( Timutimu ko egbin da sinu).
He would not know that the claims that the Agribusiness policy is a masterclass are just what we used to call ” sagbe loju yoro” ( fake), when we were growing up.
He would not know that Governor Makinde’s Oyo state would catch cold if the Hausas of Niger, Nassarawa and Sokoto states decide to stop the supply of pepper, beans, yams, watermelon, onions and tomatoes to Oyo state for just one week.
He would not know that when Governor Makinde said he had connected the zones of Oyo state with the state capital by building good roads network, all he did was to cancel the already awarded Moniya-Iseyin road contract and re-award, adding a couple of billions to the contract sum.
I do not know what new thing he has done to connect the Oyo zone with Ibadan and like I said, he has been struggling to finish the rehabilitation of the 48 klm Road between Ido and the Ibarapa zone for six years now.
You have to give him credit for the Alao Akala road which he built to connect Ogbomoso, no doubts but is that enough, even when he has continued to deprive the Local Governments funds to rehabilitate the rural roads?
Like I said in the beginning, Governor Makinde it is, who felt that he needed approval to do a job along the Ojoo-Akinyele Interchange and he was the one who invoked the Federal Highway Act, Cap 135 and he should be man enough to take responsibilities.
The Federal Government did not force him. It was a matter of choice and when he made the choice, he was aware of the Federal Highway Act, Cap 135.
I do not seem to get how Governor Makinde’s mind work at times.
I have seen instances of where the immediate past Administration had to demolish structures to dualize or expand roads within Ibadan.
I draw examples of Apata market junction – Bembow and Eleyele- Ologuneru roads.
What has become of such roads now despite the expansion?
Governor Makinde came in and allowed street traders to encroach on the roads, thus, defeating the essence of the extensions.
If you ask Governor Makinde why he permitted such actions, he would say that he once hawked bread on the streets.
So, if you check Governor Makinde’s anticidents, you can easily predict what will happen at Ojoo-Akinyele Interchange after he has demolished the marked properties.
He will handover whatever remains of the Land on either side of the road to developers after finishing with the extension work and look away while traders close up the road through encroachment.
After all, the Governor once hawked bread.
I will conclude this piece by telling Governor Makinde that he can not escape the responsibilities for what is to be done at the Ojoo-Akinyele Interchange and neither could he pass the blame on the Federal Government.
Professor Sangodoyin’s essay is good only for the zombies.
By the way, I need to ask the Professor this question, is it the Federal Government that also gave approval for the demolishing of over 300 shops at a market in Akobo last week?
I am surprised that the Ibadan born Fuji Musician has not waxed any lyrics so far about Governor Makinde’s rampage of demolishings.
Should I off the microphone?
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
