IJESALAND, WHAT'S OUR OFFENCE?.......By Isaac Bamidele

Truth be said, I voted for Demola Adeleke in the July 16th 2022 Gubernatorial election in Osun, I voted my conscience, in favour of what I perceive to be right and just, alas I was totally wrong. As a son of Ijesaland, I am presently having my regrets and a rethink. My land and our community is suffering from PDP under Governor Demola Adeleke. 

I went through the archive, and I discovered the following. In 1992, when the Late Serubawon, Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke became Governor of the newly created Osun State, the Ilesa Water scheme project started by the Late Cicero of Esa-Oke, Uncle Bola Ige while he was Governor of old Oyo State was already underway. Funding structure and patterns carefully designed in conjunction with the FGN have been finalised and our creditor in USA have also concurred to the agreement. Fast forward to 1992, Johnson Brothers International Nigeria Limited was disengaged by the elder brother of the incumbent Governor of Osun State, Demola Adeleke. 

Till date, no one can can explain or trace the leftover of the $70m funds sourced externally for the Ilesa water project. Before the termination of the JBINL contract, diameter pipes, water pumps and other accessories have been procured and moved to site, everything, I mean everything sold,disappeared with the Serubawon administration. That was the beginning of our sins and consequent punishment from the Adeleke dynasty of Ede.

When Demola Adeleke resumed as Osun State Governor in November 2022, he renewed his hostility and hatred for Ijesaland. First, he stopped and halted the ongoing $106m revitalized Ilesa Water Scheme which was put at 80% completion, as we speak now, no date or time frame can be provided by anyone when the Ilesa Water works will see the light of the day. Once again, what is our offence in Ijesaland?

More painful is the stoppage and sudden collapse of the glorious dream of our forebears, The University of Ilesa which was gifted to Ijesaland by the Gboyega Oyetola led administration. The University of Ilesa dream is a personal project of over 40years agitation of Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran PhD, who himself is well educated and an accomplished publisher. The project was berthed by Ijesa sons and daughters ably led by the charismatic and selfless Asiwaju of Ijesaland, Chief Yinka Fasuyi, all of them who contributed well above N2bn for its take off. Osun State Government through Oyetola painstakingly went through the rigorous stages of planning, design, coordination, implementation and legislation by engaging KPMG, different layers of committee comprising of astute and seasoned academicians before presentation and submission of interest to NUC, approval was given, recognition accorded to University of Ilesa. Imagine the concrete gains of Ilesa when the university kicks off, all those dreams have vaporised into thin air now. 

Today, under the pretense of ignorance and illiteracy, Ademola Adeleke has proscribed the take off of our University. A provost has been appointed for the defunct College of Education Ilesa and forms of admission for new students for NCE programme is presently on sale. Shame on all Ijesa sons and daughters who are presently PDP members, you have sold our own birthright to Adeleke on the altar of politics knowingly and unknowingly. Our Royal Fathers and eminent community leaders in Ijesaland are also keeping quiet in the face of this injustice melted out to us. Wake up, sleeping and dying souls of Ijesaland. 

For example, a plot of land, 50feet by 100feet around college area was sold for, between N600,000 to N850,000, the day NUC issued and granted licence to University of Ilesa, a parcel of land afterwards increased to N1.5m. Land and estate developers have started purchasing hectares of land around the University community in acres and hectares, we; the surveyors, town planners, architects and building engineers have been busy and making money. You can make your findings from Ilesa East and Atakumosa West LGs. One of my clients, who incidentally is a Prince of Ifewara, Adekunle Adetoba who resides in California USA planned to construct a 600beded twin 2-storey hostel complex on his 12 acres land have stopped further communication with us. 

I hope our people are taking note of the extent of hypocrisy on how Ijesaland has been rendered impotent under Ede rule. Our fathers are warriors, they are intellectually and politically sound; this is a time to rethink our stance in the scheme of things within the Osun circle. We have been deprived of our expansion and enlargement as a community. 

Let no man preach justice as we mean nothing to the PDP led government under Adeleke.

Tomorrow,  25th February gives us an opportunity to  send a strong message to PDP in Osun State by rejecting them and their candidates. It is a right time to tell them that for every action, there shall be consequences. 

A word is enough for the wise.

My name is Isaac Bamidele Omole, I'm a Licensed and practicing Surveyor and an electorate in Ward 01, Unit 001 of Methodist Primary School, Oke Oja, Osu in Atakumosa West Local Government. My email address is [email protected]