By Elijah Udofia
“Your Excellency, well done! I am proud of what you have done for your state and people. I have read and heard so much about this silent but effective deliverer of good governance”. These are the words of President Muhammadu Buhari a few days ago, when he visited the Gateway State to commission some landmark projects executed by the Prince Dapo Abiodun led- administration.
The above remarks by President Buhari, a man of few words, known for saying it the way it is, gives credence to the view held by governor Abiodun who on many occasions said he was not out to make noise and engage on unnecessary showmanship but to take dividends of democracy to the door steps of the people. He believes in getting down to work and allowing the work to do the talking.
To say the visit was colourful is to say the obvious, as many people from different political groups, transporters, market men and women, primary school pupils and their counterparts in the secondary schools, traditional rulers and even government officials with their colourful attires, all trooped out in their numbers. The drummers and dancers tried to outwit one another all in a bid to give the august visitor, “in January”, a rousing welcome.
Upon his arrival from Lagos with his host, governor Abiodun, the President commissioned the 14 kilometres Ijebu-Ode-Mojoda-Epe road and thereafter, moved to the Gateway City Gate Monument, where a mammoth crowd made up of governors, senators, ministers, House of Representatives members, traditional rulers and captains of industries, including Aliko Dangote and other eminent personalities were waiting to receive him.
For Mr. President, the visit must have brought back memories of the yesteryears when he was a young Army officer serving in the State. He attested to the fact that indeed the State has changed from the time he came for the presidential and gubernatorial campaign in the runoff to the elections two and a half years ago.
He was delighted that his visit was not to see or inspect projects, but to “commission fully completed projects that the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun has delivered for the wellness and wellbeing of the people of Ogun State”. The President is of the view that the Gateway City Gate; the 42-Kilometre Sagamu Interchange-Abeokuta Road; the 14km Ijebu-Ode/Epe Expressway and two Housing Estates for low, medium and high income earners at Kobape and Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta, respectively, could not have seen the light of the day without the State government’s huge investment and commitment to security of lives and property.
This, he noted, has made Ogun State one of the safest and most peaceful States in the country and investors’ destination of choice, saying, “I am particularly impressed by the quality and standard of your road projects, and the creative way you have deployed resources to reconstruct and rehabilitate them. The President was however quick to note, for the avoidance of doubt, that the two road projects he commissioned are federal roads. He however opined that it is an example of constructive engagement, cooperation and collaboration between the States and Federal Government.
For a man who is fully aware of the negative impacts the coronavirus pandemic have done to the socio-economic lives of the people around the world, the President had no choice, but to heaped praises on Governor Dapo Abiodun, for delivering visionary and trail-blazing projects for the people, even in the midst of prevailing and challenging circumstances occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. To Mr. President, governor Abiodun is a ‘‘performing Governor of Nigeria’s Gateway State and a worthy example of ‘‘promises made, promises kept.’ He went further to say “You (Prince Abiodun) have justified the mandate of the people of Ogun State. You have represented our Party very well”.
President Muhammadu Buhari used the event to assure Nigerians that the Sagamu-Benin Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, under construction, would be commissioned before the end of 2022. He expressed delight that the 14km Ijebu Ode-Mojoda/Epe Road commissioned by him has been reconstructed into a modern expressway by the State government and would complement the Sagamu-Benin Expressway which the Federal Government is currently reconstructing.
Responding to the governor Abiodun’s request that the federal government should give priority to the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta and the Sango Ota-Idiroko Roads respectively, the President assured the people of Ogun State that these roads would receive Federal Government attention. President Buhari there and then announced, to the delight of his audience, that the Federal Government would consider extending Tax Credit as a funding option for the reconstruction of the roads, as done for the 100km Sagamu Interchange-Papalanto-Ilaro Road. Similarly, he promised to consider the approval of the reconstruction of Sagamu-Ogijo Road by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited under the tax credit scheme.
Since shelter is one of man’s basic needs after food and clothing, the President lauded the governor for extending his administration’s inclusiveness policy into those who should benefit from its housing scheme, saying it is heart-warming that it takes care of different social strata, capturing the low, medium and high income earners.
Admiring the Gateway City Gate Project, the Nigerian leader who was bestowed with ‘‘honourary indigeneship’’ of the State and presented the key to the Gateway City Gate by Prince Abiodun in the presence of governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos; Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo; Gboyega Oyetola of Osun; Mai Mala Buni of Yobe; deputy governor of Oyo, Rauf Olaniyan; Senators, House of Representatives members; Ministers; Industrialists; traditional rulers and other prominent personalities, said “it is not just a Park beautification project. It depicts that something new is happening in Ogun State, a welcoming entrance into the State Capital at the centre point of the State.’’ Adding that the project is also an ICON depicting joining hands for building the future of Ogun State in togetherness”.
The President also congratulated the people for having a focused, deliberate and inclusive administration under Prince Abiodun, urging them to continue to support him for the successful implementation of the “Building our Future Together” Agenda of his administration. According to the nation’s number of citizens, governor Abiodun should brace up for work because, “the reward for success is more hard work to meet the increasing expectations of the people. He stressed that when state governments deliver impactful projects, in consultations with stakeholders, like we have witnessed in Ogun State, the trajectory of our national development will be enhanced.’’
The President appreciated the people for the warm reception accorded him and his entourage on his first visit to any State this year, noting that the grand reception by the large crowd brings back the nostalgia of his first arrival in the State as a young infantry officer in the Nigerian Army at the then Lafenwa Barracks in Abeokuta, not long after independence. The traditional hospitality of the people of this State, said has not waned a bit. “Today, I am ‘Omowale’ and very happy at this homecoming to meet my brothers and sisters whose goodwill I have always enjoyed. Thank you”.
President Buhari who took time to personally commission all the five projects slated for the day, did not leave the State without a word for the people. “I will leave Ogun State with fond memories and look forward to enjoying the privilege of my honourary indigeneship.’’ Governor Abiodun, who was highly delighted with the presence of the Commander-in-Chief, said his administration’s projects, programmes and policies are deliberate and guided by a vision to give the State focused and qualitative governance and create an enabling environment for a thriving public private Partnership.
Abiodun informed his august visitor that all projects executed by his administration have the inputs, support and are informed by the needs of the people as expressed by them in several engagements. He reminded the President of the need to accord the State a special status from the Federal Government Infrastructure Funding a since the highest number of federal roads in the country, majority which are in bad shape, are in the State.
Sure, the President visit to Ogun State, which the naysayers, according to media report, said would not be possible, has come and gone but what would linger on for a long time is the sweet memories and most importantly the promise the president made to look into the demands made by governor Abiodun on the deplorable condition federal roads in the State. For a State to host a president, who would have decided to send a representative especially, some few days into the New Year, is something that speaks volume and an indication that the man in the helm of affairs in the State is doing something right.
While biding the president farewell, one is sure Prince Abiodun, having in mind that there are many gigantic projects ongoing in several parts of the State, must have whispered to Mr. President and said, “Sir, you ain’t seen nothing yet”.
- Udofia, head of the Ogun State Governor’s Press Crew, writes in from Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State.