Osun’s Gold Enriches Few, Leaves Rural Communities in Poverty — APC Aspirant
Omooba Dotun Babayemi, a leading governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has condemned what he called the “shameless exploitation” of the state’s mineral wealth, particularly gold, by private interests, while rural communities continue to suffer extreme poverty.
Speaking to reporters after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the APC national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Babayemi highlighted a stark contrast between Osun’s abundant natural resources and the neglect of its rural population.
“Osun sits on one of the richest sections of Nigeria’s gold belt. We have about 75,000 miners operating today, yet the state receives nothing. Everything goes into private pockets. Host communities see no benefit,” he said.
Having toured 299 of the state’s 332 wards, Babayemi described the mining sector as chaotic, unregulated, and exploitative, with rural residents living in “darkness, poverty, and abandonment.”
He added that his ward-to-ward assessment revealed “a humanitarian and economic crisis.” Despite over 65% of Osun’s population being farmers, collapsed infrastructure prevents them from transporting produce to markets.
“We travelled over 120 kilometres across Osun. People still move on bicycles and on foot. Roads are gone, bridges have collapsed, and farmers watch their produce rot because they cannot move it,” Babayemi said.
He accused the current government of prioritising urban areas while leaving rural communities, which form the backbone of the state’s economy, to fend for themselves.
“Rural Osun has been abandoned. The government is only present in urban centres, while the areas that produce food, labour, and natural resources are ignored,” he added, noting that the neglect fuels migration from rural areas to already overstretched towns and cities.
Describing Osun as “a state of wealth without prosperity,” Babayemi said the problem is not a lack of resources but poor governance and accountability.
“Powerful individuals are hijacking our gold, draining our resources, and impoverishing rural communities. This must stop,” he said.
If elected, Babayemi promised to regulate mining to ensure revenues benefit the government and host communities, rebuild rural access roads, restore economic opportunities to rural dwellers, create a consultative forum linking rural and urban areas, and equip youths with essential skills for the modern economy.
“Development must start in rural areas. Our rural communities drive Osun’s economy. Reconnecting them, reforming mining, and opening access roads will lift the entire state,” he stressed.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
