Residents Reject Oyo Govt’s Plan To Extend Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road

Residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, have kicked against elongation of already marked lands meant for construction of the Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road.

The protesters expressed their rejection to the planned extension through a peaceful protest at the entrance of Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, on Monday.

LEADERSHIP gathered that Oyo State Government led by former Governor Rasidi Ladoja marked some lands for the construction of a Circular Road in Ibadan between 2003 and 2007.

The project was however stalled by the administration of late former Governor Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala who took over from Ladoja.

However, the immediate-past administration of late Governor Abiola Ajimobi started its construction when he was in office between 2011 and 2019.

During protest, the residents appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde not to extend the Circular Road beyond the already marked areas.

The protesters, who were mostly from Akinyele local government area, noted that many people have already been affected by the existing arrangement.

Armed with placards with inscriptions like, “150 meters is enough’, ‘150 metres is enough for Circular Road’ and ‘Our people are dying on a daily basis’ the protesters urged Governor Makinde to rethink the decision.

Ismail Qamardeen Abimbola, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, noted that residents of many communities in the local government area were already panicking over the planned extension.

He said, “We are here to appeal to the government to consider us on the issue of the corridor they want to embark upon.

“I am from Akinyele Local Government Area. Many villages and communities are involved, these communities include Solalu, Alagbede, Olukitibi, Akinwande, Akinlawon, Omilabu, Aba Odo, Aba Ido, Ido Omo, Ori Oke, Oke Ola, Olowoogbo, Olohungba, Ade Owu, Asaaju and many villages.There are still many other communities that this corridor is involved.

“Our prayer is that the government should consider us, they should not take beyond the already marked areas because many people have died while alive already on the previous 150 meters they have already marked. It is too much. We are here to appeal to the state government.”