On the 3rd of December 2023, I wrote an article in The Guardian newspaper titled ‘Ibadan and Its Famished Roads of Life’ in which I castigated the government of Oyo State for the deplorable condition of some roads that had failed woefully and become disused in the Ibadan metropolis and other cities in Oyo State.
But in a dramatic twist of fate, under considerable circumstances and a substantial turnaround, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has now turned the scale on its edge and has undertaken massive rehabilitation, reconstruction, and restoration of roads within Ibadan and its environs, extending to other towns and villages across Oyo State. No doubt, his innate ability to listen attentively to the voices of the people-both critics and observers-has enabled him to make genuine moves to address the actual needs of the people of Oyo State. It is therefore a testament to his exemplary character and advanced capacity in governance, which have induced his functional ability to make decisions and take actions germane and appropriate to improving the lives of the people. Oyo State is now witnessing significant strides in infrastructure, education, and economic empowerment-touching lives and leaving a lasting impact on communities. Indeed, in the last 20 years, no governor has prioritised road infrastructure like Governor Makinde, who has brought his engineering experience to bear in delivering key road projects. The governor now appears focused on ensuring that the dividends of democracy are brought to the masses and that the lives of ordinary citizens are positively impacted. In this regard, he recently commissioned the Akobo-Ojurin-Olorunda Abaa Road dualisation, a 5.9-kilometre highway, on July 23, 2025. Other recently commissioned roads include Beere-Academy Olomi Road, Molete-Challenge Road, Molete-Dugbe Road, Challenge-Dugbe Road, Agodi Gate-Beere Road, Idi Arere-Iletun Okeodo Road, Mushin-Odinjo Road, General Gas-Aiyegoro Link (Dizengoff), Beere-Monatan Road, and Agodi Gate-Airport Road.
Deploying his engineering expertise to address bad and unmotorable roads in Ibadan, Governor Makinde is currently reconstructing Awosika Avenue (Old Bodija), Alao Akala Way in Akobo (Ibadan North East Local Government Area), and the first phase of the Ibadan Circular Road, a 32-kilometre project which has been commissioned. The Circular Road comprises six bridges and several interchanges. The governor has so far completed 368.9 kilometres of roads across Oyo State, transforming it into a thriving economic hub of the South-West region. Road repairs and reconstruction will extend to all zones of the state, including Ogbomoso, Iseyin, Ibarapa, Saki, Ona Ara, and other areas. The state government has also allocated ?750 million to the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency for continuous rehabilitation and re-grading of roads. The Ogbomoso-Iseyin Road, tagged Akala Memorial Expressway, has been commissioned, while the dual carriageway from The Polytechnic to Sango Market in Saki Township has also been completed. The reconstruction of the 23-kilometre stretch linking Okaka to Igbojaye and Kunle (adjoining Afolayan Film Village) was commissioned by the governor on July 7, 2025.
The Ibadan Circular Road is poised to become Nigeria’s first motorway and will include a corridor featuring world-class residential and industrial estates. The entire project spans 110 kilometres and is divided into four segments: South-East (32.2 km), North-East (34 km), North-West (23 km), and South-West (20.8 km). The road provides a bypass for travellers, goods, and freight commuting through Ibadan. As the Circular Road emerges as the nerve centre of Oyo State’s economic activities, Governor Makinde should ensure its timely completion and commissioning as a parting gift to the people of the state.
The community roads linking all the Local Government Areas of Oyo State deserve special attention from the governor in terms of rehabilitation, reconstruction, and restoration. Oyo State has 33 local government areas grouped into five geographical zones: Ibadan Areas (11 LGAs), Oke Ogun Areas (10 LGAs), Ogbomoso Areas (5 LGAs), Oyo Areas (4 LGAs), and Ibarapa Areas (3 LGAs). The eleven local government areas of Ibadan include Akinyele, Egbeda, Ibadan North, Ibadan North East, Ibadan North West, Ibadan South West, Ibadan South East, Ido, Lagelu, Oluyole, and Ona Ara. Oke Ogun includes Iwajowa, Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Irepo, Iruwa, Kajola, Olorunda, Saki East, Saki West, and Wewe. Ogbomoso Areas comprise Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Surulere, Orire, and Ona Ara. Oyo Areas consist of Afijio, Atiba, Atigbo, and Oyo West, while Ibarapa Areas include Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East, and Ibarapa North.
The reason I listed the 33 local government areas of Oyo State is to show that the governor’s influence is felt across all areas in terms of road reconstruction and repairs. With his engineering skills and prowess, he has delivered landmark projects such as the Circular Road, the 3.78 km Alao Akala Highway in Akobo (Ibadan North East LGA), the 76.7 km Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road, and the 65 km Moniya-Ijaye-Iseyin Road connecting Ibadan and Oke Ogun zones. Others include the rehabilitation of the 45.3 km Saki-Ogbomoso-Igboho Road; reconstruction of the 37.41 km Beere-Olorunsogo-Amuloko-Akanran-Dagbolu Road; reconstruction of the 35.53 km Ibadan-Iwo-Osogbo Road; reconstruction of the 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road linking Oyo and Oke Ogun zones; and the 48 km Ido-Eruwa Road connecting Ibadan and Ibarapa zones. The dualisation of the 12.5 km Challenge-Odo Ona Elewe-Elebu-Apata Road (renamed Theophilus Akinyele Way), reconstruction of the 12 km Apete-Awotan-Akufo rigid pavement road, and the 5.2 km Gedu-Oroki-Sabo-Asipa Road in Oyo zone are also notable achievements. In total, about 700 km of roads have been rehabilitated or reconstructed statewide. All roads within the Secretariat, the seat of Oyo State Government, have also been rehabilitated. The governor should, however, not forget to reconstruct all service roads in Ibadan, including the one connecting the High Court to the Mobile Oil Station on Ring Road. He should also reconstitute the Road Maintenance Agency to maintain all the roads his administration has rebuilt.
In spite of the massive road infrastructure development, the administration continues to invest heavily in education. The cancellation of all fees and levies in public schools since May 29, 2019, has led to a 50% increase in enrolment. The recruitment of 7,000 primary school teachers, 5,000 secondary school teachers, and 692 education officers has greatly improved teaching quality. The construction of 60 model schools, 339 classrooms (with toilets), 76 stand-alone toilets, and renovation of 443 classrooms-alongside the installation of about 100 boreholes-have made learning environments more conducive. The sole ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology was achieved in 2020, while ?500 million was released in 2021 as a take-off grant for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources, Iseyin. The conversion of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to a University of Education was completed in 2023 with a ?1 billion take-off grant. Annual bursary awards to law students and final-year students of Oyo origin commenced in 2025.
On healthcare delivery, the renovation and reconstruction of 209 Primary Health Centres across Oyo State have been completed, while a Geriatric Centre has been established at the former Jericho Specialist Hospital.
On security, 105 operational vehicles were purchased for the Nigeria Police in Oyo State, while 100 operational vehicles and 396 motorcycles were procured for the Oyo State Amotekun Corps.
Let me seize this opportunity to appeal to the Executive Governor of Oyo State regarding the Divine Senior Citizens Palace-a home for the elderly located on Ascension Lane, General Gas Road, Akobo, Ibadan. The home has existed since 2012 (13 years now) without government assistance. It houses 28 elderly persons cared for by a staff of 10, who handle their feeding and healthcare. The home is managed by two experienced retired matrons-Mrs. Mofoluke Daramola and Mrs. Adesola Olajide-who pay ?1.5 million annually as rent for the building. I commend their philanthropic work in supporting the welfare of the elderly and urge the governor to provide them with accommodation in one of the government’s unoccupied buildings and an annual subsidy to help with food and healthcare costs.
On the whole, the governor’s resilience and ability to cope with challenges have shown his true mettle throughout his tenure. His record of achievements is rooted in his attentiveness to the cries of the downtrodden and his resolve to transform their pains into purposeful governance. He has demonstrated that leadership must serve the people by taking courageous steps even in the face of adversity.
Consequently, with bold and fearless actions, he has achieved significant progress in education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, and economic empowerment. In the area of economic development, his administration has attracted over ?46 billion in agribusiness investments and established the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub worth about ?20 billion. Governor Makinde is a tried and tested leader-reliable, effective, and deserving of higher responsibilities in Nigeria’s political landscape.