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‘Despite nature’s blessings, we live in dejection’, Osun community laments
The inhabitants of Atorin, a village housed by Atakunmosa East Local Government Area ( now Atakumosa East Central LCDA) of Osun state, reflect every moment and day, as whether the social contract advocated by Thomas Hobbes, the great philosopher of the ancient time, has been breached. As every partnership agreement are parties to it, so the government and the citizens form the contractual agreement to the Hobbesian law of social contract.
Atorin, the birthplace of late African warlord and the saviour of the Ijesha people, Ogedengbe Agbogungboro successfully accommodates no fewer than nine communities which included Temidayo, Olowu, Opesubu, Alapaede, Ayealuko, Aye oke, Oloko rebete among others.
According to the community, the contract is everlasting and monumental, so long the popular sovereign government respect the sanctity of the contract, and, thereby, provide the necessities for the citizenry. The necessities are expected to be directed towards absolute maximization of pleasure and minimization of various forms of pains.
Ifewara – Atorin Road
Despite nature’s blessings and agricultural prospect, particularly the large deposit of ‘precious metal ‘ popularly known as gold buried in the bowels of Atorin rich soil , which has attracted the activities of illegal miners, the village appears to have been forgotten, as its people languish in relative obscurity.
Because of its arable land, the major occupation of the inhabitants is agriculture as they grow both cash crops ( Cocoa, Teak) and food crops such as cassava, maize, yam, among others.
Sadly, Atorin people are suffering in the midst of abundance.
The village, connected by a deplorable earth road that leads from Ifewara is not only hilly, but dusty and disfigured with steep inclines that cause serious headache to those plying the route. Rainy season is always a period of pain for the inhabitants.
The road has been destroyed by years of neglect and trucks conveying agricultural produce to the market break down often due to the deplorable road. While the dwellers battle for survival without potable drinking water, they also lacks community health center.
Our reporter, who visited the settlement sighted an abandoned water project which was converted to a well; the only source of drinking water.
Source drinking water…
In a related development, the only existing health centre, facilitated by Hon. Israel Famurewa, a two term Federal House of Representatives member, who hails from Atorin Village is yet to be completed and equipped with both personnel, furniture, drugs and medical equipments.
Famurewa represented Atakunmosa East/ Atakunmosa West/Ilesha East/ Federal Constituency between 2011-2019 . During his tenure, he facilitated a block of 3 classroom to LA Elementary School, the only school in the village and a transformer.
Unfortunately,the Alatorin of Atorin (King) recently joined his ancestors, but the Women leader (Yeye Lobirin) and the Youth leader (Olori Omo Atorin) narrated their sufferings. They both cried out loud to any ‘messiah’ who could save them from their present predicament, especially infrastructural deficits and total neglect.
LA Elementary School, the only Education Center in Atorin….
The women leader, Mrs Bolanle Ojo lamented hardship resulting from the dilapidated state of the only major road leading to the settlement. According to her, the bad state of the road had made commuting unbearable for them.
She lamented further, “We are not happy with the deplorable condition of our road, this is really affecting us seriously. It is difficult for us to evacuate our farm produce to the urban communities. In fact, we cannot go to the market during the rainy season to sell our produce at Ifewara or Sabo market in Ilesha.
” We have not seen any government impact in Atorin and this neglect signified total disregard for the memories of Ogedengbe Agbogungboro who is described as the saviour of the Ijesha people. Despite nature’s blessings, we live in dejection”, Ojo added.
The Youth leader, Ayeni Ayodele also decried the living condition of his people, just as he called on the Gboyega Oyetola led Osun state government to help the community. Ayeni, however called on the well meaning sons and daughters of the town, particularly the Ogedengbes to rescue them from untoward hardship they are currently facing.
Mr. Busuyi Makanjuola, the council chairman of Atakumosa East Central LCDA could not be reached as he didn’t respond to telephone calls when contacted for his reactions
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has approved N100 million for the immediate rehabilitation of a major access road linking seven communities in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, announced the intervention on Saturday at a town hall meeting with residents and community leaders from Power Line, Awonsoso, Siba, Olupoyi, Balogun, Baba Agba and Agaloke communities.
The lawmaker said the decision followed a request by the community stakeholders, who identified the poor condition of the road as their most pressing need. He assured the residents that the rehabilitation would be completed within four months.
Oseni said the intervention was part of his commitment to people-centred representation, stressing that his legislative activities had been focused on issues capable of improving the lives of Nigerians.
He said, “Within the three years plus, I have sponsored bills and moved motions that are carefully designed to positively impact the lives and livelihoods of citizens.”
According to him, some of the legislative initiatives include moves to amend the Federal Medical Centres Act to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Ido Local Government Area, stronger sanctions for contractors who fail to execute government projects according to specifications, and measures to improve accountability in the management of public contracts.
Oseni added that he had also advocated subsidised farm machinery for farmers, measures to reduce the cost of cancer treatment, improved food storage through modern silos and processing facilities, as well as urgent action on flooding and recurring building collapses in major cities among several others.
The lawmaker said his engagements with communities across Oyo South should not be viewed solely through the prism of the 2027 elections, despite the commencement of political activities.
“My visit here today is not to solicit for votes, but to listen and find practical ways to attend to the requests and plights of my people,” he said.
Oseni also disclosed that he had facilitated the distribution of 31 transformers across Ido and Ibarapa, with about 80 per cent of the cost funded through his foundation. He added that other interventions had included solar-powered street lights, boreholes, bridges, public toilets, educational support, infrastructure, health care services, youth and women empowerment, and assistance to artisans, traders and markets across the senatorial district.
The APC chieftain further noted that some youths had also received N1 million each as seed capital to start small businesses.
Oseni acknowledged that his primary responsibility as a federal lawmaker was to make laws and provide effective representation, but said the gap created by ineffective governance at the grassroots had made it necessary for him to support communities through interventions.
He urged youths to remain focused and resilient, recounting how he worked as a bus conductor to raise money for his secondary education before becoming an engineer, businessman and legislator.
Earlier, Chief Muibi Adegoke, Baale of Awonsoso, and Chief Azeez Saka, Baale of Elere Apata, commended the lawmaker for what they described as his performance in legislation and community development. They pledged their support for his political aspiration ahead of the 2027 election.
The meeting was attended by traditional rulers, religious leaders, community elders, women and youth leaders from the affected communities.
(c) Mega Icon Magazine
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