Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to disregard the shortcomings of his predecessors and continue striving for the development of the Yoruba race.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 2.7-kilometre Old Garage-Lameco Road in Osogbo on Tuesday, Obasanjo commended Adeleke’s performance, noting that the governor’s efforts have gone beyond the people of Osun, positively impacting the entire Yoruba race globally.
“Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race, is in Osun State, so the development of Osun is in the interest of the entire Yoruba race. Ignore what your predecessors have failed to do. Focus on moving Osun to greater heights, and you will be doing good for the Yoruba people globally,” Obasanjo stated.
He added, “I decided to be here against all odds because of the successes Governor Adeleke achieved within two years. The governor has disappointed critics; he has shown that he is not only a good dancer but also a good performer.”
In his remarks, Governor Adeleke reiterated his administration’s commitment to revitalizing the state’s economy through infrastructure development.
“To revive the state and deliver on good governance, my administration launched a five-point agenda. We targeted specific areas of need for the people, which form the major components of the clearly defined agenda. The goal principally was to address the aspirations and immediate needs of our people,” he explained.
Governor Adeleke highlighted several achievements, including the construction of over 120 kilometers of roads across the state, with more inter-state and intra-city roads set to be commissioned during the ongoing 16-day anniversary celebration. He also mentioned that two major flyovers in Osogbo are nearing completion, while work continues on the Ile-Ife Flyover and Ilesa dualization projects.
He further disclosed plans for the completion of the Iwo-Osogbo road, including the dualization of Odoori-Adeeke road in two phases. The first phase will reach the Post-Office and Oluwo Palace, while the second phase will extend from Post-Office to Adeeke Junction.
“As we enter the second half of our government, I reassure all sons and daughters of Osun State that our government, under my leadership, will complete all ongoing projects. We will continue to address the infrastructural and social needs of our people. We will strike a balance between hard and soft infrastructure,” the governor affirmed.