Obaagun Community Accuses Govt Of Marginalisation

 

Yusuf Oketola

INDIGENES of Obaagun, a community in Ifelodun Local Government of the State of Osun, have accused Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s administration of marginalisation.

According to the indigenes, the current administration has not carried out a single project in the community, in spite of huge revenue the government gets from various quarries located in the town.

They lamented that all the roads in the town are deplorable with no attention from the state government.

Leading the indigenes, the National Treasurer of Obaagun Development Union, Prince Jimoh Atoba, said no single road was constructed or rehabilitated, not to talk of repairing culvert in Obaagun since Oyetola took over power in 2018.

Atoba, in an open letter to the state government, said Obaagun as a community gave massive support to Oyetola during the 2018 governorship election, wondering while the government would abandon the town in the area of road construction.

He said all the township roads which were constructed in the early 80s by old Oyo State government are now a death trap for motorists and residents of the area.

The letter reads in part: “Your Excellency sir, I am an indigene of Obaagun, a community shared boundary with your home town, Iragbiji which its development is at the utmost importance to me. I owe it as a duty and as a patriot to draw your government attention to the deplorable condition of Obaagun Township Road which was constructed in the early 80s by the then Oyo state government.

“Not minding the various roads construction which your administration has completed in Ifelodun local government; the people of Obaagun have not received any interventions from your government on the area of road construction, rehabilitation and even repair of culvert.

“This is being perceived as magilization despite the fact that the state government has been getting huge revenue from the various quarries located in the town, by this Obaagun is also contributing to the state resources.

“This saddens our hearts that with the massive support the community gave your Excellency in the last governorship election in 2018 which the community still hope to repeat in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, the ancient community is abandoned in the area of road construction.

“We are wondering what would have been our offence that Obaagun people are so neglected and treated as though we are not in the map of Osun state.

“A visit to the community by the Commissioner for Work will surely support my point, the road is as bad to the extent that “Okada riders” have totally abandoned the road as a result of its condition. What a pity condition! I must also emphasize here that the road is a state government road of same category with the one constructed across the state.

“I can also emphasize that the Olobaagun of Obaagun has written letter to your office concerning this road but all the efforts have not been getting a favourable response. Therefore as a patriot, I have no option rather than sending an open letter to appeal for immediate rehabilitation of the road.

Atoba, in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER, noted that some officials of the state government have been reaching out to him since he released the letter. 

He said they promised to take necessary steps about the development.