The vast settlement located along Iwo Road in the heart of Ibadan, the state capital, harbours close to 30 autonomous communities and zones within which there are more than 3,000 houses, commercial structures and other properties including undeveloped pieces of land. All of this had reportedly attracted some people who now claim to be original owners and make violent attempt to exercise certain rights.

When our correspondent visited some of the communities yesterday, it was observed that palpable fear enveloped the atmosphere as most of the residents who spoke on condition of anonymity fingered some individuals described as members of Akindipe family as being behind the whole crisis.

They accused them of employing the services of an Ibadan-based socialite who they described as a professional land grabber (Ajagungbale) and with whom the Akindipes have been disturbing the peace of the whole communities since last year.

Speaking with our correspondent, one of the residents who gave his name as Hashim (surname withheld) confirmed the development.

His words; “It is true some impostors are laying claims to the ownership of the whole place and they have taken many steps including violent attacks on innocent people to either extort property owners or take total possession of other people’s properties. They parade themselves as descendants of Akindipe family whose root cannot even be traced to Oki here.

“I’m an indigene of Oki and I can confess openly that our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers sold a good portion of land here to the present occupants. To this end, we don’t have any right to the pieces of land again but these miscreants who are not even related to us have now come around to forcefully taken over what belong to others. They started by installing one Munirudeen Alatise as Baale in April this year and the same man is the one authorising his agents to unleash terror on the people with a view to taking over their properties”, the 58 year-old man said.

Another female resident who preferred anonymity recounted her experience in the hands of the land grabbers who, she said, always moved round the communities with dangerous weapons and lay claims to undeveloped pieces of land which they either try to resell to the real owner or get a new buyer for.

“We gathered reliably that these usurpers have entered into an agreement with one Óbàjétì who they allowed to erect a mall on the first pieces of land which they hijacked with an understanding that he would use his machinations to cow all of us (genuine property owner) to submission through violence.

“Apart from the illegal Baale, there are others like Alfa Sule and Taofeek who mobilize thugs and policemen each time they want to encroach on innocent people’s properties. At the moment, they target undeveloped pieces of land and recently, they made a Pastor their victim when they forcefully seized his five plots of land and asked him to pay seven million naira in addition to a demand for ceding of half of the land to them. This was without any justification other than a verbal claim of ownership. We now live in fear because these impostors can do anything to perpetrate their nefarious activities”, she added.

Our correspondent later spoke with the President of Oki and Environs Landlords and Residents Association, Bashorun Ariyo Fadairo who described the situation as highly ridiculous and very disturbing. He then appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde and all authorities concerned to wade in urgently to “forestall likely breach of public peace which might happen any moment from now since the land grabbers are resolute in going ahead with their plans to forcefully take over our properties.

“In this modern age, we don’t understand how some unscrupulous people would just wake up somewhere and start laying claims to other people’s properties even without any genuine proof.

The areas affected include; Oki, Wofun, Alekuso, Ayenreti, Aba-Ada, Agoro, Oke-Ola, Arinkinkin, Agbede, Oke-Ola, Eketa-Omo, Isokan, Alaska among others and all the property owners have our legal documents while most of us have been here for over 30 years.

“We are using this medium to call on our dear Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to come to our rescue by stopping these miscreants from unleashing further violence and threat of attacks on us. We also make a strong appeal to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, The Commissioner of Police as well as all the security agencies in the state to do the needful and ensure that we do not lose our lives and properties to land grabbers and enemies of humanity”, Fadairo added.

The post Oyo: Save us from land grabbers, Oki community residents beg Makinde first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

The post Oyo: Save us from land grabbers, Oki community residents beg Makinde appeared first on MegaIcon Magazine.

Auntie Lutfat (now Prophetess Omonike), is the first grandchild of my paternal grandmother who took care of many of us in the 70s and early 80s. Tall, elegant and brilliant, Asake was equally tough and she would never take nonsense from anybody as a young lady. She had a good knowledge of Ibadan municipality and anybody she chose to take out would be overwhelmed with joy in those days. For some natural reasons, I was not always lucky to be considered for her town cruising serenades but my own luck shone on 30th day of September, 1979.

It was the eve of change of government from the military leadership of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo to the newly-elected civilian administration of Alh. Sheu Shagari. Apprehension, uncertainty and palpable fear had enveloped the whole of the country and Ibadan, the capital of the young Oyo State was not an exception. Ibadan was also an epicentre of the bloodshed which characterized the January 15, 1966 first military coup in the country and only a few people trusted the military boys to hand over to Shagari on October 1, 1979 as promised.

This explained the frenzy situation on the eve of that date.

My family relocated to the city in early 1978 from our remote settlement in Owobaale via Erunmu and our new site was somewhere around Bishop Phillips Academy, Iwo Road, Ibadan. Family Houses in Oke-Adu, Ita Baale and Ile Emu at Oje were the places we use to visit once a while up till the time we became adults.

However, it used to be a thing of joy anytime an older person wanted to take us to see life in the central parts of the metropolis. Baba Liadi Adesokan Alao was the second son of my paternal grandma who meant so much to me. He was a security guard at St. Mary Catholic Primary School, Ratibi until his death in 1982 and he lived (with his family of six) around Oke’badan area.

My joy knew no bound on that fateful Sunday (30/9/1979) when Auntie Molara take me and another cousin, Folasade (of blessed memory), along as she planned to visit Oke’badan. Maami, maami… Anti Monike ni ki n kalo si odo Baba l’Okebadan. I rushed down to my mom to break the good news to her and pronto, she quickly dressed me up. She bathe me in the public glare for all I cared, mopped up the droplets of water on my body and then ‘painted’ me with our cherished Pomade body cream. I put on my best Alokowe dress which was a flexible ‘bosikoro’ round neck long sleeve butter colored shirt and a pair of trousers on a rubber sandal… Igboro’badan ya!

I cannot possibly remember how we managed to get to Agodi Gate from Academy-Monatan. Auntie carried Sade on one hand and used her second hand to hold me tightly as we navigated through the crowd of people who were in a haste to reach their respective destinations in time before any eventuality as anticipated ahead of the October 1, 1979 inauguration of a civilian government in the country. We later got to a place called Idi Ogungun and Auntie had to release my hand as she wanted to point to a tree under which my father was plying his trade as a Watch repairer.

“Wasiu, nibeun ni Baa-mi-re ti n se Aago”, Auntie Monike echoed as she pointed her finger towards the direction of the tree. I could not be satisfied with a look at that direction and I continued to behold the sight of the whole place having been given an opportunity to look round round.

Unfortunately, my elder cousin who had released my hand felt I was following her from behind after the ‘looking opportunity’ and she continued to trek towards the mini park where commercial Liteace buses plying Oke’badan were lined up. She got to the bus ‘on turn’ and tried to lift me up into it but I was nowhere to be found. Immediately, she began to scream; ” Omo-olomo da? Omo-olomo da?” With heavy teardrops rolling down from her eyes, she headed back to where she had asked me to look at the tree. She met me at the same point where I was still enjoying the opportunity to watch a mammoth crowd live. Auntie got to me and in annoyance, she descended on me with some dirty slaps and military kicks. I fell flat on my face and she began to drag me on the sandy floor… May God never subject me to such torturous experience again in my life. It was since then I have learned never to be carried away in the midst of a crowd again.

At a point, she decided to allow me stand on my feet and we continued our movement towards Oke’badan while sobbed repeatedly as she would not stop twisting my earlobes and knocking my head every 120 seconds.

Eventually, we got to Uncle’s house and as it was his practice when he saw me, he starting chanting our lineage panegyrics thus; “Adeyemi n le… Omo Aresa, dudu l’egbon pupa l’aburo… Omo s’eni-un-o-s’eni ni b’Iresa nnu, bo’le o bu’po ni ya’mode l’ara… Ara’lu òpe, omo amúronà s’aju eegun, omo ol’ode àjígbá, omo abesin kan kóri, omo asojetan s’oloosa… Abbl. Uncle drew me closer to himself and observed something was wrong.

He asked; “Monike, se o na omo yi ni?”… “Rara o, o subu funra re ni o”, Auntie replied and I could not stand it at this juncture… I bursted into tears uncontrollably. Uncle who he was and castigated her heavily. He could not trust her again and had to return me home by himself.

About 27 years after (precisely on April 7, 2006), Auntie played into my hands and I was able to take my own pound of flesh. She dared me in the public and received the worst beating of her life. Before you would pass any judgment on me for being ‘vindictive or unforgiving’, pray to have a personal experience what she did to me the second time. However, we have since reconciled and we are now good friends. But I’m grateful to her for teaching me never to be lost into a crowd again in my life.

Wasiu Olawale Sadare, Journalist and Media Consultant writes from Ibadan, Oyo state

The post September 30 | By Olawale Sadare first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

The post September 30 | By Olawale Sadare appeared first on MegaIcon Magazine.

The state’s Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure and Transport, Prof. Raphael Afonja, who stated this while speaking shortly after the day’s meeting of the State Executive Council, said that shop owners who will be affected by demolitions at the different locations would be considered for shop allocations when the new terminal is ready.

He stated that the bus terminals, also to be known as transport interchanges, will not only address problems associated with transportation in Ibadan, the state capital, they will also address security issues.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the commissioner as saying that the four Ultra-Modern Bus Terminals would redefine the skyline of the State capital, enhance security and the quality of life in the transport sector.

According to him, the Bus Terminals would incorporate Restaurants, Shops, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) galleries and Café, among others.

Afonja said: “The State Executive Council today (Tuesday) approved the award of the contract for the construction of four ultra-modern bus terminals that will include galleries for Automated Teller Machines, restaurants and shops.

“The purpose is also to collapse the transport units into bus terminals, beautify the skyline and also for security purpose. As you can see, the terminals are strategically located.

“They will also help the operations of the big buses that will soon start operation in the state. The four terminals combine the major inter-state transport units and that is why we are focusing on them.

“The state government has also upgraded the Fire Department to an Agency.”

The post Oyo govt. okays construction of 4 ultra-modern bus terminals first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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Prior to 2007, billboards was a source of revenue to the local governments. However, on assumption of office, the former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola established the Lagos Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA).

The pioneer LASAA Director-General, Barrister Makanjuola was reporting directly to the governor. He performed excellently by flushing the charlatans and quacks out of business and paved way for the key players and competent practitioners. LASAA got rid of illegal structures in areas like: Ikeja, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Ojota, Costain and other parts of Lagos Mainland. Within a year the agency was able to generate over N3b.

The Lagos model prompted other states, especially in the south-west to establish their own advertisement agencies. Unfortunately most of them have not been able to meet up with the ‘Eko’ standard.

In the pacesetter state, the Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency, unarguably, has not been able to live to its mandate of ensuring that the signage beautify our environment. Many billboards constitute nuisance and threats to the lives of the people.

Ideally, a minimum of 100m is required in between billboards on the same road. But here in Oyo State, especially in Ibadan, the state capital, billboards are clustered in areas like: Adamasingba, Dugbe, Agodi-Gate, UI-Ojoo road, Iwo road and others. Apart from clustering, many of these structures are erected directly high-tension wires. Inasmuch the state needs to boost its revenue, people’s lives, healthy and safety environment are also significant.

The question is who are those people behind this growing insanity and illegality? In a chat with the Head, Ibadan Office of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Mr. Olajide Olishile, he said: ‘allocation of sites for billboards is the sole responsibility of OYSAA’. When confronted with the query on the billboard erected at Mokola Roundabout under the high-tension wire, an Enforcement Officer at OYSAA simply denied that no structure is under the wire.

Meanwhile, further investigations revealed that many of these billboards belong to OYSAA members of staff who don’t even have the skills and statutory requirements to practice.

Now that the rainy season is here, many of these billboards may not be able to withstand the heavy winds that characterise the period. In order to avoid any eventuality, it’s high time the OYSAA, Director-General, Hon. Temi Addibi, stop relying only on the reports from the field, swung into action by leading a powerful task force to uproot these illegal billboards.

The post Outdoor Advertising in Oyo State And The Growing Insanity | By Waheed Ganiyu first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

The post Outdoor Advertising in Oyo State And The Growing Insanity | By Waheed Ganiyu appeared first on MegaIcon Magazine.

The Governor expressed the commitment of his administration to collaborate with the agency on how to manage traffic gridlock on the roads and proffer solution for easy vehicular movements in the State.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the Governor as saying these while receiving the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, who paid him a courtesy visit in his Office.

Makinde maintained that the state government under his leadership will continue to support the activities of the FRSC in the State.

“Let us keep the cordial relationship going. We need a lot of support to lift the situation in our State- ideas and things that you have been able to provide solutions to at the federal level. We also want to key into them so that we do not make the same mistake all over again. I believe this is going to be the beginning of our working together,” Governor Makinde said.     

The Governor said his administration is committed to finding lasting solutions to the gridlock at the Iwo Road Interchange, which has been causing a lot of problems for the users of the road in that area, noting that the project would be executed within nine months.

He said: “Also, at Iwo Road, it’s the same thing but we do have solution to that. What they are doing around that axis right now are just palliatives to make the place motorable. We have a serious plan for the road. Meanwhile, I have even been castigated on why I want to spend such amount of money on that interchange but it is a project that we believe will change the face of that place and sanitise the area.

“The Honourable Commissioner for Works is working on it and we need to follow the due process. So, it’s a little bit slow but I believe, within the shortest possible time, we can get this project underway and delivery has been given to us at nine months. Once we flag it off, within nine months, we believe we will be able to decongest the area and everyone will be proud of it.”

The Governor, therefore, stressed that he would consider urgently the modern trailer park project, noting that it was not ideal for trailers to cluster around the highway, saying, however, that the only justification to remove them would be to provide a modern park for them. 

Governor Makinde added: “What you mentioned about a trailer park will be sorted out. Before now, I have had discussion with the sector commander and Chairman of OYRTMA and I asked them to, first of all, clear that Toll Gate axis. About two weeks ago, I was going to Oyo and I saw illegal trailer parks along the road similar to what happens in Ogere. I was actually alarmed that once that kind of facility takes roots, it becomes difficult to uproot again.

 “So, it’s something we are also committed to fixing. Ideally, we should not be seeing trailers along the road. All along the express way, from Toll-Gate to Ojoo, we still have where trailers are parking at different points along the road, but once we have trailer parks for them, we can be justified to relocate and disallow them by stopping them parking indiscriminately along the road.”

Earlier, Dr. Oyeyemi appealed to the Oyo State Government to give priority attention to the construction of a modern mega trailer park in the state, noting that the project would greatly help to reduce traffic gridlock in the state, “as Ibadan is strategic to vehicular movement across the nation.”

While stressing the need for collaboration with the corps to abate instances of road mishap during the ‘ember months,’ the Corps Marshal also implored the Governor to equally work on the Iwo road interchange and disallow street trading on the Ibadan-Iwo road, Ibadan-Ife road and other major roads in the state.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

The post Iwo Road interchange project will be delivered under one year – Makinde first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

The post Iwo Road interchange project will be delivered under one year – Makinde appeared first on MegaIcon Magazine.

He made this statement on Thursday in his office while addressing pressmen and reacting to questions on road construction and rehabilitation within the state.

He said the governor’s vision was to bring economic development to the state, adding that the project was another effort at attracting new investors to establish more businesses in the State.

“We believe this project will attract new investors from Nigeria and beyond to do business and we have to create an environment for them to thrive with resources to support them.

“We understand that the road is a gateway to the State and gridlock is not a good sign or encouragement to incoming stakeholders, it’s the major road that links our airport to the city, it’s a major road that connects the city to the other States in the country, so it must receive attention.

“The governor is the people’s governor, he understands that he was elected by the people to serve, we are coming up with actionable ideas to solve the problem we met on ground,” he said.

As a palliative measure, the Commissioner stated that alternate roads would be opened and made more accessible to ease vehicular movement and avoid the hindrance on the way of people carrying out their daily routine.

Reacting to question concerning the construction of Oju-irin to Olorunda-Aba road in Ibadan, the Commissioner declared that plans were ongoing to fix the road, adding that as soon as the rain subsided, there would be top gear approach in rehabilitating the road within a short period.

The post Construction of Iwo-Road Interchange Targets Ease of Doing Business – Afonja first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

The post Construction of Iwo-Road Interchange Targets Ease of Doing Business – Afonja appeared first on MegaIcon Magazine.