Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN)
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Human Rights Activist, Chief Adeniyi Akintola has related the administration of Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi to the administration of the first Military Governor of the State, Col. David Jemibewon in terms of the achievements and performance of the former.
Speaking with CEOAfrica during an interview in his residence at Ibadan, Chief Akintola drew a comparison between the government of Ajimobi and that of Jemibewon in terms of performance of the governors as well as the infrastructural developments witnessed in the state during the both administrations.
The 58-year old Ibadan-based legal practitioner stated that he has witnessed the administration of all governors of Oyo State since its creation, starting from the government of Col. Jemibewon up till the current governor, as such; he has a basis to make informed judgements about the achievements of Ajimobi as compared to that of his predecessors.
According to Chief Akintola, “The only government you can compare with that of Ajimobi is that of Jemibewon. I have the empirical facts to back up that claim. Jemibewon was the one that opened up the then Western state and started the building of modern infrastructure in Ibadan after Awolowo. Jemibewon built Adamasingba stadium and shopping complex, Agbowo shopping complex in front of University of Ibadan. He constructed Ring road to Challenge, Sango/Polytechnic road, Secretariat UI road, Secretariat/Total Garden/Mapo road.
“Jemibewon constructed the overhead bridges at Molete and Secretariat. He built the stadium in Abeokuta, when Ogun state was part of Oyo state. He built the stadium in Osogbo and the one in Akure. Oluyole estate was also built during the time of Jemibewon. He was able to achieve all these during his tenure. During the tenure of Bola Ige, the Olubadan Estate was built. He built Gbagi market and all the second generation public Secondary schools,” he recalled.
Having highlighted the achievements of the ex-Governors, the Senior Advocate stated that none of the successors of the pioneer Governor were able to meet up with the achievements of Jemibewon except for the current Governor, Abiola Ajimobi. His words “Other came and tried their best but their best are not what you can compare to that of Jemibewon, and I stand to be challenged in any part of the country.
“Then came Abiola Ajimobi. The first thing he did was to bring back peace into the state. Before he came on board, Oyo state was a jungle; it was a garrison and we had a garrison commander. People were killed, live had no value, we were back to a time when life was short and brutish. Many of us were on exile, including myself as our lives were under threat. However, Ajimobi restored peace. So, for those who don’t know where we are coming from, it is easy for them to sit in their cosy offices and start judging us by the standard of Lagos,” he asserted.
Chief Akintola continued “Aside from restoring peace and security in the state, there have been a lot of infrastructural developments. Go to Lagos/Ibadan road to Challenge, Eleyele road, Aleshinloye road, Onireke roads, they were all rehabilitated by Ajimobi. Have you seen the massive market constructions by Ajimobi at the Scout Camp. After Jemibewon, nobody has done that. He took infrastructural developments to Oyo, Ogbomosho, Iseyin and many other parts of the state. As we speak, he is carrying out the dualisation of roads in Saki. He is dualising the road from Idiape to Army Barracks in Olugbo and the road from Agodi Gate to Iwo road.”
On educational development, the Senior Advocate also noted that the Governor has recently launched the Oyomesi wherein pupils will get functional and quality education. “Ajimobi has been carrying out assignments that were taught to be impossible. He has been carrying out meaningful programmes that others before him had contemplated doing but couldn’t do. He has done extremely well. Look at the philosophy behind the University he just established. For the first time after Bola Ige, we have a governor who is highly cerebral, highly articulate and well-informed,” the Right Activist stressed.