Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused the opposition of blocking access to almost N100 billion of state funds in a bid to disrupt the completion of ongoing road projects across the state.
The governor alleged that the opposition had chosen to play politics with the urgent need to lift the people out of decades of underdevelopment.
Speaking on Wednesday amidst a rousing reception in the ancient city of Ile-Ife while inspecting the Lagere Flyover Bridge and other projects, the governor, who decried the neglect of Ile-Ife and the abandonment of several projects by previous administrations and individuals, said the cultural capital of the Yoruba people deserves the best roads and other infrastructure.
Adeleke, who accused the opposition of deliberately withholding Osun’s allocation to stop the completion of critical projects under his administration, vowed to push ahead with all the projects, saying the Ile-Ife infrastructure projects are designed to transform the state into an economic hub and tourism capital of the South West.
The governor said: “I am elated to see the rapid progress already recorded in our unprecedented moves to modernise and upgrade Ile-Ife, the cultural capital of the Yoruba people. Many doubted the need for our ambitious approach to the development of Ile-Ife and other ancient towns in Osun State. We told them we must think big, aim high, and deliver the best infrastructure and services to our people.
“We decided to make history by breaking away from the tradition of abandoned projects whose funds were diverted into private pockets. We rejected private enrichment at the expense of our people. The people of Ile-Ife remember the many tales of abandoned projects and diverted funds in this community. Our administration opted for the people’s way — Osun money must serve the Osun people. That mantra of state money for state development is manifesting in Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Osogbo, Ede, Ila Orangun, Iwo, and other parts of the state.
“Today, the Ile-Ife flyover with adjacent dualisation is nearing completion. We have shamed those who doubted our sincerity. We have ridiculed those who thought the fund was for diversion and self-enrichment, as they had done in the past. We broke the jinx by launching and realising this upgrade of our cultural capital.
“Some critics with low governance ambition had dared us and declared that Ile-Ife needed no flyover bridge. We ask: why do you hate Ile-Ife so much? Why do you think so low of our ancestral capital? Why must Ile-Ife be kept in a perpetual state of underdevelopment?
“We rejected the path of those who denied this ancient city a dualised road since 1999. We are fulfilling the wishes and aspirations of Ile-Ife sons and daughters, who rightly affirmed that top-notch infrastructure is an engine for economic growth.
“This flyover is strategically located at the economic nerve centre of Osun East, connecting Osun West, Ijesaland, and Ondo State through Garage Olode. An economic hub is being created through this iconic flyover bridge.
“Aside from creating an economic hub, our administration is conscious of the tourism potential and importance of Ile-Ife to millions of Yoruba people at home and in the diaspora. In our creative economy agenda, Ile-Ife occupies a prime place. The cradle of the Yoruba nation thus deserves a massive infrastructure upgrade to support our vision of a cultural capital drawing multibillion-dollar tourism opportunities in the near future.
“And to those critics asking us to move faster, we call their attention to the fact that we are less than three years old in government. Almost a year of those three years has been taken up by a deliberate onslaught by the opposition to disrupt Osun’s development through funding blockages and destabilisation plots.
“Almost N100 billion of Osun’s funds have been unjustly seized in a bid to stop the completion of the Ile-Ife flyover, Ilesa township dualisation, Iwo township road dualisation, Ila Orangun township dualisation, reconstruction of the Iwo–Osogbo road, and the Lameco flyover bridge, among others. The opposition has unfortunately chosen to play politics with the urgent need of our people to exit decades of underdevelopment.
“Our royal fathers and the good people of Osun, we will not allow the evil plan of the opposition to come to reality. Our government will complete all ongoing major projects. We will not succumb to dark forces hell-bent on blocking Osun’s development. On behalf of the Osun people, we will continue to pursue the rule of law to secure our rights within the Federation.”