September 17, (THEWILL) – Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has decried the low physical and infrastructure development of Ile Ife, the cradle of Yoruba people, declaring that the source of the Yoruba race deserves a total upgrade in terms of flyovers, dualised roads and upgraded facilities befitting the cultural capital of the Yoruba people.
Speaking when he hosted a delegation of the Ife Development Board at the Government House on Monday, Governor Adeleke said the low developmental outlook of the ancient city is not acceptable to him and his team, hence the decision to commence massive upgrade starting with the Lagere flyover and the dualisation of the road leading to the palace.
He justified his administration’s decision to change the face of Ile Ife on the ground that the ancient city cannot continue to look like a village when global visitors come calling, affirming that Ile Ife is too important to remain low-rated in infra outlook.
Governor Adeleke, accompanied by his Deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, told the visiting board members that Ile Ife is not only the cultural capital and source of all Yoruba people but also the global tourism and religious base of Yorubas in North America, South America and other parts of the world.
Thanking the Ooni of Ife and other Ife leaders for supporting him on the ongoing flyover and dualisation projects at Ile Ife, the Governor said aside the cultural and tourism factors, the economic case for the Lagere flyover has been well canvassed as the junction is the meeting point for business interaction from Osun West, Ilesa and Ondo through Garage Olode.
“Our administration is committed to completing the flyover as well as the dualisation of the road leading to the Ooni’s palace. I want to be recorded in history as the Governor who transformed Ile Ife into a modern cultural and tourism city,” the Governor told the leaders.
On the requests for rehabilitation of some other roads in Ile Ife, the Governor assured that the list would be forwarded to the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure in addition to the list of roads scheduled for reconstruction and rehabilitation.
He promised that the request for expansion of the dualisation to Ilesa Garage would be evaluated for further action by the technical team.
On security, he assured the Ife Development Board that his administration is already reforming the state’s Amotekun Security Service as a bridge between local communities and the federal security services.
He explained that local vigilantes and forest hunters would henceforth be working with the Amotekun service and other formal security agencies to secure Osun cities and rural areas.
On the need for further action on the agricultural sector, the Governor informed the delegation that the State Government will soon unveil an AFDB-supported agricultural processing zone to be located at Ile Ife.
Speaking earlier, the President of Ife Development Board, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, commended Governor Adeleke for his development strides in Osun State, particularly in Ile Ife, listing requests touching on road expansion, security and agriculture.
“Ile-Ife is our collective heritage. It deserves more than passing attention. As the ancestral home of all Yoruba, both here in Nigeria and the diaspora, we all owe ourselves the duty to transform it and make it more amiable, more welcoming as the poster place for all proud Yoruba,” Adefaye told the Governor.
The Governor subsequently directed his Deputy to ensure a follow-up on the meeting to ensure a sustainable partnership between the State Government and the Ile Ife Development Board.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
