Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lauded the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for making Ibadan livable through projects aimed at easing transportation and making life more meaningful for the people.
Obasanjo stated this in Ibadan, on Wednesday, at the commissioning of the Ibadan Central Bus Terminal, Iwo Road, Ibadan, which has two mega bus stations constructed with waiting halls, ticket spaces, eateries, public conveniences, open vehicular parking space, electrical power generating house, water reservoir, elevators and escalators, among other facilities.
In his speech, former President Obasanjo praised Governor Makinde for doing well for the people of Ibadan and Oyo State by building people-centred projects, including the bus terminals, which according to him, would ease transportation within Ibadan, the third largest city in Nigeria by population and the largest in terms of land area.
He noted that the constructions of the terminals in Ojoo, Challenge and the two in Iwo Road would make movements easier for residents and that whatever development Makinde is making happen in Ibadan is beneficial to the rest of the South-West, as the metropolis is not only the capital of Oyo State, but also the capital of the defunct Western Region, the Old Western State, and by extension, Yorubaland.
“Governor Makinde, you have done so well. You are making Ibadan livable and you have been trying to make everyone living in Ibadan and the state comfortable.
“Ibadan, in population, is the third largest city in Nigeria but in land area, it is the largest. So, to move from point A to B in Ibadan is longer than moving from point A to B in the other two cities said to be larger than Ibadan in population. These are Lagos and Kano. And, if you are going to make it convenient for people to live in Ibadan, to trade in Ibadan, there must be availability of transportation and that is what these bus terminals are meant for. The two here and the two in Challenge and Ojoo are meant for that.
“You invited me three days ago to this event; I didn’t hesitate. I came here because you are an Omoluabi. Before anyone can invite me to an event three days to the time, he must be someone I hold in high esteem. For you, if you call me a day to the event, I will come. You resemble me in a lot of ways. When people tell me Makinde is doing this infrastructure and all that, I always tell them why won’t he do it? He is an Engineer. A professional engineer, who knows how to fix things, but you have added another feather to the cap, you are now also into political engineering.”
The former president equally counselled the governor to remain focused and undeterred by those attacking and insulting him over some of the ongoing development efforts, noting that “those abusing you today would praise you tomorrow. I was also abused too and they have come back today to praise me. That is how it is.”
He, therefore, charged residents of the state and Nigerians, who would use the facility to ensure it is put to good use and well maintained.
Earlier, Governor Makinde said his government built four modern bus terminals, including Challenge, Ojoo, New Ife Road and Iwo Road to enable residents of the city to move freely and not be encumbered by transportation challenges known with big cities.
He noted that the completion of the Ibadan Central Bus Terminal is a demonstration of his government’s determination to engineer a modern Oyo State, noting that his administration has gone about building different infrastructure projects without politicising development, which is what some people who have been attacking his government love to do.
The governor pointed out that the Oyo State Government constructed the dual carriageway from Iwo Road to Adegbayi to ease transportation pressure on the axis and that it has even applied to the Federal Government to extend the project to the Oyo State boundary at Asejire, among other projects embarked upon by the state to ensure that its residents do not go through unnecessary hardship.
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