Construction of Osogbo-Kelebe-Eleesun-Iragbiji road: Parable of two sons who have opportunities at different times (1)

This road, Osogbo-Kelebe-Eleesun-Iragbiji, which the Executive Governor of Osun State has just approved for construction, is said, at least, by the Federal Government of Nigeria, to have since 2006 or thereabout been completely constructed!

So, the breaking news of construction approval of the road believed to have been completely done over thirteen years ago, if got to the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development, Abuja, would definitely astonish the Federal Government of Nigeria.

It would shock the Federal Goverment because, as reliably gathered, this same road, in 2004, was said to have been awarded as 'Constituency Project' to a contractor, a member of the Nigerian Senate, as at the time, who also hails from Iragbiji, just like Oyetola, the incumbent Governor of the State. But for ubiquity of impunity that permeated every spheres of the nation's polity, especially during the aforesaid political dispensation, the contractor, with sheer contumacy, abandoned the project which, according to a reliable source, was awarded for Seven Hundred and Sixty Million naira, given the cost of construction as at then, if not more.

This shows gross lack of patriotism and untold disservice to this nation, and to Iragbiji as well as its neighborhoods, who would be direct beneficiaries of the usage of the road and its numerous economic advantages.

It is a pity that our stakeholders, especially some politicians in positions of authority and responsibility in this country, always use such positions to outwit the confidence reposed in them. They perceive funds released by government for execution of public services, as in Constituency Projects, in this regard, as a largesse meant for personal aggrandisement.

What appears overtly absurd is effrontery displayed by this contractor, who is now 'at large with his largesse', (as far as the abandoned road is concerned) when he featured in an interview aired recently by Rave FM, an Osogbo-situated broadcast radio station.

In his vituperations, the contractor-senator, who is still 'at large with his largesse' cast aspersions on Oyetola, a man with large heart, and his government. He accused Oyetola of nonperformance, and in connivance with his political cohorts, he vowed to wrestle power from the ruling government in the next gubernatorial election. 

This Iragbiji aborigine, no doubt, is ready to 'destroy his own 'Ede' (his own home, Iragbiji) for political largesse from Ede town', where his new political baron, for whom he said he doffs his cap (for reasons of his massive wealth) hails from.

Also in his broadcast campaign of calumny during the Rav FM interview, the former contractor of the said abandoned road, who is yet to account for Seven Hundred and Sixty Million (N760,000,000.00) naira which, as revealed by our findings, he collected in two trances of Five Hundred Million (N500,000,000.00) as 'Constituency Allowance', and another Two Hundred and Sixty Million (N260,000,000.00) naira subsequently released to him for completion of the project (road) over fifteen years ago, claimed ignorance of the ongoing road constructions and other monumental developments in the state.

Well, we, in journalism, accept comments as free, but some people outside of it, like this contractor with his acclaimed ignorance, might not know that facts are sacred. So, for his ignorance, this piece would educate him with sacred facts.

Not minding 'his being at large with his largesse', Oyetola, on Monday, July 6, 2020, in his large heart, considering the commercial-cum-social-economic importance of the road, approved construction of the abandoned Osogbo-Kelebe-Eleesun-Iragbiji road with 16.55km length for a well-negotiated sum of One Billion, Six Hundred and Twenty Eight Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Nine Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty naira, Forty Three Kobo (N1, 628, 279, 540.43), given the present cost of construction coupled with dilapidated condition of the road.

This road, which the contractor-senator treacherously window-dressed for two years, between 2004 and 2006, and latter abandoned, was approved by Mr. Governor on Contractor-Financed Model for completion in eight months.

The fact that it was awarded on 'Contractor-Financed Model' shows there's paucity of funds in the state, as it means Messrs. SLAVABOGU Nigeria Limited, the new contractor, would have to finance the project while the state would source for funds and reimburse the contactor thereafter, as learnt, in 36 months.

Surprisingly, this opposing 'corporate behaviour' of the two 'paradoxical sons' of Iragbiji, the incumbent Governor and the Contractor-senator, could be described from public relations perspective as CSR and CSI, that is, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Corporate Social Irresponsibility.

While the former, using the opportunity of his position, leverages on the corporate goodwill enjoyed from relevant stakeholders by the state to facilitate developments, the latter, also using the opportunity of his position, outsmarted the corporate goodwill enjoyed from the Federal Government by the Constituency, or better put, District he represented, to amass wealth for personal aggrandisement.

The accusation of Oyetola-led government as afflicting pains on the residents and citizens of the state by the failed contractor is as political as bizarre! In contrast, it would be inhumane if this failed contractor feigns ignorance of the plights, hardships and pains afflicted on the residents of Osogbo-Kelebe-Eleesun-Iragbiji road for the past fifteen years by his contumacious abandonment of the project, after he had bulldozed their properties — houses, farmlands, others, worth hundreds of millions of naira.

The Corporate Social Irresponsibility of the failed contractor-senator, a son, as evidenced in the abandoned project, until its recent construction approval by Oyetola, another son, gave His Royal Majesty, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, who was being inundated on a daily basis with complaints of pains and uneasiness occasioned by the abandoned road, insomnia, resulting from sleepless nights.

On further education of the failed contractor over his ignorance of Oyetola's strides in the area of road infrastructure, he and his other ignoramuses should kindly be informed that road constructions (some of which have been completed) are currently ongoing in more than fifty two sites across the state, aside from the combined 54.3 kilometer lengths of five all-important roads worth Five Billion, Five Hundred and Sixty Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighty naira, Sixty Five Kobo (N5, 560,473, 582. 65) selected across the three Senatorial Districts of the state, approved and awarded to Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns on February 6, 2020, for rehabilitation and complete overlay.

The fact that Oyetola-led administration is able to fulfill all electioneering campaign promises; economic development, infrastructure development, human and capital development, and security and environmental sustainability, including  prompt payment of workers' salary, even with new additions of projects considered beneficial to the people of the state, in spite of paucity of funds aggravated by Covid-19 pandemic, continues to beat imagination of individuals who understand the financial quagmire and barrage of economic challenges confronting the state.