AN OPEN LETTER TO THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, HON. LUCKY AIYEDATIWA OVER THE ABANDONMENT OF ALAPE JUNCTION – ARAROMI ROAD ASPHALT OVERLAY IN ILAJE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
By Ilesanmi Gbamila Taiwo – ND, OND, HND, B.Sc., PGDJ, M.Sc.(iv)
Publisher of Coastal Renaissance news.
The abandonment of Rehabilitation & Asphalt Overlay of Alape Junction – Araromi – a 32.725km road in Ilaje, abandoned by RCF Nig. Ltd, gives me a lot of concerns and worries.
My special appreciation goes to the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, for being a man of his words, thus, earned him an acronym ‘talk and do Governor of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, for re-awarding the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of Alape Junction – Araromi road in Ilaje Local Government area of Ondo State. In the same vein, I wish to commend the unparalleled infrastructural projects, especially, in the area of road construction both in urban and rural areas which you have bequeathed on Ondo State in the last five years of your administration.
I did not appreciate the Governor on the subject under discuss because I am a member of his political party, APC but because the last administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko under the platforms of the Labour Party (LP) and PDP abandoned the road throughout his 8 years in office.
Meanwhile, it is a primary function of every government to provide good road accessibility to the people. This is more reason why I commended Governor Akeredolu having read with excitement in the news the commencement of the Asphalt overlay of Alape Junction – Araromi sponsored by OSOPADEC in March 2021.
Painfully, I have observed closely with disappointment that the road is already in state of moribund and abandoned since April 2022 and unfortunately, it remains indictment of the highest order that Your Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa who hails from Ilaje local government has not asserted any effort in bringing the contactor back to site since the contractor had abandoned the road project.
Perhaps, it’s a general concern that no one seems to be asking questions on the stagnant state of the project including Your Excellency who fortunates to be the second in command of the affairs of Ondo State.
I am constrained to think or believe that Your Excellency cannot talk to your boss, Governor Akeredolu over the quick completion of the road. The landmark failure of Your Excellency to do the needful at the appreciate time, has encouraged discomfort and disappointment in your ability to spring surprise as a Deputy Governor and first Deputy Governor from Ilaje Local Government.
I wish to appeal to Your Excellency, the Deputy Governor to carry some major stakeholders along in your administration if you seem not to be courageous enough to talk to your boss (Governor) in a soft and pacify language he tends to understand and admirable in getting what you want. It’s never a sin or weakness if you beg or lobby your boss inside a closed door to get what you want.
For me, I have studied Governor Akeredolu too tall to an elegant figure and discovered that he’s not a rigid person to get something from in as much one is appealable with his/her demand(s). The simplicity and flexibility of Governor Akeredolu has shown in his day-to-day activities…But, I continue to wonder why Your Excellency is not leverage on this notable traits to get whatever you want from the Governor. My leader, my boss, don’t forget that time waits for nobody. I think Your Excellency should learn from your predecessors – Alhaji Ali Olanusi, a former Deputy Governor who used his influence as a Deputy Governor and tarred all the major and minor streets in his own community, Supare Akoko and many more…ditto to Hon. Agboola Ajayi who also used his influence as a Deputy Governor and tarred Igbotu – Igbekebo road, Ajagba – Kiribo road, Market road Igbobini to mention but few. Please my leader, kindly wake up! Time waits for nobody.
I want to passionately appeal to Your Excellency to carry some critical stakeholders from Ilaje such as HIM Oba Fredrick Obateru, the Olugbo of Ugbo, HIM Oba Oluwasegun Akinyomi, the Amapetu of Mahin land, Asiwaju Oluyemi Ogunyomi, former Clerk of the National Assembly, Sir, Benson Obayelu, President Ilaje Professional League amongst others whom Governor Akeredolu holds in high esteem to talk to the Governor on your behalf if you are not courageous enough to talk to your boss (Governor). OSOPADEC herself needs more attention and patronage from the Governor. All these achievements can be done through your divine wisdom and knowledge.
The attention of the Governor should be drawn to the abandoned road rehabilitation of Alape Junction – Araromi, so that the government can expedite action over the quick completion of the road project without further delay.
It is imperative to remind Your Excellency that the number of your followers who had deserted Your Excellency in less than two years in office is becoming alarming, thus, speaks negative about your person. For instance, Gen. Omosuyi Alore – one of your key followers, Mr. Olawale Abolade – your second Photographer, Prince Segun Omojuwa, Deputy Chief of Staff attached to your office, to mention but few. Sir, you may say that Prince Segun Omojuwa had a career promotion, hence culminated to his exit from your office, but what happened to Gen. Omosuyi Alore who deserted Your Excellency and left Akure for Igbokoda since February 2022, what happened to Mr. Olawale Abolade, your second Photographer who deserted Your Excellency and took a refuge with Hon. Babajide Akeredolu, Director-General of Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit (PPMIU), Ondo State. To worsen the scenario, is the inability of Your Excellency to produce the member of the state House of Assembly in your constituency (Ilaje Constituency I) in the just concluded APC primary election in the state. Furthermore, your Personal Assistant, Comrade Segun Iwalokun gallantly loss out of the game of state House of Assembly in Ilaje Constituency II. This, to me, is as a result of your careless leadership. It’s a sorry case…
As a Deputy Governor, if your impact cannot be felt in your very local government, what is the faith of other neighbouring local governments? Go and see the impact of your boss in Owo local government. When other roads network in Ondo State are experiencing go-slow, that of Owo local government are being constructed day and night. I am not saying that you should compete with your boss, no and never, but at least, as a Deputy Governor, the positive impact of Your Excellency must be felt in your local government and beyond. Regrettably, no special thing can be accrued to Your Excellency as achievement in Ilaje Local Government whether influenced by you or through your office. This also, gives me a lot of headaches!
No doubt, the feeble step by Your Excellency to convince Arakunrin to see reason why you should be honoured to produce member state House of Assembly in your constituency (Ilaje Constituency I) has earned you the local embarrassment and international disgrace you have indebted to today.
I want Your Excellency to note that participatory democracy cannot exist when people do not have trust and confidence in your leadership again. It is on record that some indigenes of Ilaje land including my platform were on air and social media applauding the steps taken by His Excellency, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu during the supposed commencement of the construction of the road. To create such a high expectation and later abandoned such a project will not only cast a bad picture for the APC government but further reinforce the general belief that APC government does not keep to her promises after they have won elections.
Since Your Excellency has failed and kept mute to do the needful, I want to humbly use this medium to appeal to the major stakeholders in Ilaje land to appeal to our Dear Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to direct RCF Nigeria Limited construction company to relocate to site with immediate effect and complete the said road.
“A good leader will continue in affirmative action(s) in support of his/her people and environment”.
I thank Your Excellency for reading through this piece with rapid attention, and with the hope of getting a better result for a better upliftment in the future.
*NB:* _Apology to my respected mentors, Sir Benson Obayelu, President Ilaje Professional League, Prince Biyi Poroye, Executive Director Alpha 3D Company and Prince Segun Omojuwa, Permanent Secretary Loan Board, Ondo State, who I know would not have ordinarily allowed me to communicate this massive letter to His Excellency, the Deputy Governor if I have carried them along ab initio. I just have to satisfy my unrest conscience on the subject under discuss. Please, pardon me!_
Comrade Ilesanmi Gbamila Taiwo.
Author and Publisher.
Akure, Ondo State.
