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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Residents of Gbalefa, Osho and Adigbe communities whose houses were located 250 meters from the Ibadan Circular Road, on Wednesday, lamented the demolition of their houses by officials of the Oyo State Government.
A spokesperson for the affected communities, simply identified as Oluranti, in a distress voice note shared on one of the communities’ WhatsApp platforms, lamented the level of destruction, which he claimed had reached about 250 metres from the circular road, after the government deployed bulldozers to the area in the early hours of Wednesday.
“We are presently helpless with the level of the destruction so far carried out by government officials on our properties. Pulling down of houses have gone beyond circular road areas as they appeared to be targeting 500 meters the government had always wanted along the circular road corridors.
“What they have possessed as at the time I visited there was already close to between 200 and 250 metres. I am making this distress call for us to deliberate on how we can halt the trend before they pull down all our houses.
“We need to urgently appeal to the governor of the state, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to direct the officials to stop the trend. Whether they halt the process or not, it has already affected me as the Chairman of Ojutola Elewe community. We are appealing to us to come together and appeal to the governor to stop further action.
“Let’s put heads together and I don’t want commentators here to abuse the government or His Excellency but rather to appeal to the state government for a way out and possible solutions,” he said.
Another person who did not give his name, said: “Even if we abuse them from today till tomorrow, the deed has already been done. Despite all the steps we have taken so far, it seems they didn’t listen to our pleas. The 250 metres you said they have reached, you can imagine the number of people they have ruined for life.
“This shouldn’t be our portion. We the people of Oyo State and especially Ibadan land voted overwhelmingly for the governor. We should not because of the enjoyment of few privileged individuals destroy the livelihoods of others, especially now that the cost of getting a new land and building materials have really skyrocketed.
“God should show all of us His mercy, especially those of us affected so far. May God shine His face on us and grant us the grace to overcome this trying moment. It is so sad, painful and heartbreaking.”
Pictures of the destroyed properties were shared on the platform with, many of the affected residents lamenting their loss.
Meanwhile, the state government through the Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development, Mr Akin Funmilayo, has appealed for the understanding of the affected communities, saying government was concerned about their plights but the overriding public interest necessitated the move.
According to the commissioner, “the affected houses were built on government’s acquisition of 500 meters around circular road. And they were given enough notice and the latest was about a month ago.”
“A number of them have complied and have even removed their roofs amongst others. Those affected would be compensated as a particular factory was already compensated to the tune of N100 million,” he added.
Funmilayo further stated that the state government would always put the interest of the masses at heart, adding that it was the reason the densely populated areas around the acquisition areas may be spared.
“But our people must understand that what the government is doing was in their best interest as we cannot afford loss of lives that could be occasioned by avoidable accidents when houses are built within the circular road corridors,” he stressed.