Governor Ademola Adeleke has abandoned the execution of Late Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke Memorial Circle, Park and Garden eight months after its commissioning.
Adeleke had on January 15, 2024 commissioned the project sited at the front of the State Secretariat, Abeere to mark the posthumous birthday of the Late Senator and unveiling of the statues of former governors of Osun State.
Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke was the first Executive Governor of the state.
The Governor while paying tribute to both the living and late Governors of Osun State, recalled the fond memories of his late brother whom he said laid a sustainable foundation for a new Osun state.
Commending the military and civilian Governors who had governed the state in the past, Governor Adeleke said his motivation for the memorial circle was to preserve memories of previous leaders as a collection point for Osun state leadership history.
“My vision is to preserve the fond memories of past Governors among which my brother, Governor Adeleke was the pioneer occupant of the democratic leadership. I seek a point where our young ones can access details of who has governed Osun state and years of their service to the state.
“We also have a park at the circle where our people can hold meetings and relax while in the capital for one task or the other. I am preserving the good work of our leaders. My sacred responsibility is to build on the records and experiences of former leaders to further develop our state.
“While my brother was the first executive Governor of the state, it has pleased God to make me the sixth state Governor. With that heavy burden of leadership, I am pushed to work harder and sustain my brother’s legacy of good governance and human development.
“I must perform and I am performing. I must deliver and I’m delivering. The best way to uphold the legacy of former Governors and especially my late brother, is to deliver on good governance”, the Governor affirmed.
The commissioning of the project at the time without completion was, however, met with various criticism from the civil society organisations and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
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The Convener of the Centre for Responsive Governance, Comrade Ayo Ologun, said: “When the project was commissioned on the birthday of his elder brother so the project was not completed. What is the hurry about?
“He chose to commission an uncompleted project to honour the posthumous birthday of his brother. There is no urgency in commissioning the project that day. It is not right, the enterprise of governance in Osun is not family affairs.”
Similarly, the All Progressive Congress(APC) through its chairman, Tajudeen Lawal said; “We are not surprised that he commissioned an uncompleted project, the administration is built on lies and deceit. It only appears to those outside the state that he is doing something spectacular.”
More than eight months after, OSUN DEFENDER visited the site of the project yesterday and observed that the park has not come to life as weeds have taken over the place.
Adeleke also during the commissioning did not mention the duration for the project execution during the commissioning and amount earmarked for its construction.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
