Lekan Yusuf, Ibadan
Leaders of communities affected by the ongoing Ibadan circular road project on Thursday met with the governorship aspirant of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, in what they described as a family meeting aimed at drawing attention to their plight.
The leaders, drawn from the six local governments affected by the project, said their visit was not political but was meant to inform the aspirant of the hardships faced by residents whose properties fall within the project’s right of way and corridor.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Prince Niyi Fasuyi, Coordinator of the Ibadan Circular Road and Corridor Residents, said they were appealing to Adekanmbi to use his closeness to Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene on their behalf.
He said residents on Segment 1 of the project had already undergone enumeration and verification, yet their compensation had not been paid, despite the approval of about N5.8 billion in April.
According to him, affected persons on Segment 2 were still waiting for verification and had no clear idea of the amount to be allocated to them.
“We have been on this for months. Our members are dying day by day. Many of them have become homeless. In some cases, we had to contribute money among ourselves to support displaced people who could not afford accommodation,” Fasuyi said.
He added that the proposed additional 425-metre corridor had created fresh anxiety among residents, especially where buildings had been marked for demolition.
Fasuyi said the communities were not asking for money but for the government to do what is legally right by paying compensation to landowners whose properties were affected.
“We are not agitating for money. We are agitating for our property. Compensation is what the law requires. Money cannot solve our problem; only the government can,” he said.
Responding, Adekanmbi described the meeting as candid and family-oriented, saying the residents had accepted that the circular road remained a laudable developmental project for Oyo State.
He said the issues raised, including compensation, verification, right of way and corridor concerns, were already in the public domain and would be handled in a respectful and transparent manner.
According to him, residents on Segment 1 had already been fully enumerated and verified, and the assurance given was that compensation would be paid within the life of the current administration.
He added that the concerns of those yet to be verified would also be followed up so that they could move through the approval process and eventually receive compensation.
Adekanmbi also said he would appeal to the governor to review the additional corridor in densely populated areas, especially in Ido Local Government Area, where he noted that the 75-metre right of way and 75-metre left of way could affect many residents.
He said the delegation accepted the realities of what could be achieved immediately and pledged to continue advocating for a peaceful and dignified resolution.
The aspirant said he was humbled by the trust of the community leaders, who named him an ambassador of the circular road residents association.
Among those who attended the meeting were the President of Baale in Ibadan, Baale Alaroro, Chief Wasiu Oladapo, Chief Taiwo Oladejo, Baale of Balogun Moniya, Chief Tijani Salami, Comrade Abayomi Adekunle, Mr. Isiaq Jimoh, Dr. Samuel Adelokun, Arch. Oyejobi Kayode, Mr. Jimoh Hammed and Prince Niyi Fasuyi.
