LEADING a delegation of party bigwigs from Abuja to last Saturday’s Akesan Day celebrations in Ogun State, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, pondered a logistics question. Was the team to land at the domestic wing of the Murtala International Airport, Lagos, then bus its way to Iperu, or was it to take the Ibadan route, landing at the Ibadan Airport, then taking a bus ride to Iperu? Neither option was bad, but it was unnecessary in the end, as the delegation flew straight into the Gateway International Airport, connecting the destination in a jiffy, a testimony to the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun’s power of vision. The airport nestled within an airport city that is already primed to revolutionise cargo and passenger travel in the country and harness the agricultural power and resources of Ogun State, has captured the national imagination, and the APC boss couldn’t hide his delight: “We ended up landing at an international airport of four kilometers runway with the state-of-the-art infrastructural facilities. This governor is making history, this governor is leaving legacies. I congratulate him on that. In addition, on our way to the venue, I have seen well-constructed road networks with concrete drainages. His passion for infrastructural facilities is well documented and I can assure you of our support.”
Actually, the occasion, a celebration of culture and glamour, looked more like a parade of federal lawmakers: as many as 50 senators stormed the Akesan Day celebrations held at celebration held at the Apostolic Church Grammar School, Iperu Iperu, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State as the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, took stock of his life-changing projects in the Gateway State to roaring applause. The roll call included Senators Opeyemi Bamidele, Alli Ndume, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, Shuaib Salisu, Tokunbo Abiru, Kenneth Eze, Abdul-Hamid Maduri, Aliyu Wadada, Ibrahim Bomat, Patrick Ndubueze, Lawal Adamu, among others. Members of the Green Chamber, including Honourables Olamide Osoba, Gboyega BIsiaka, Abiodun Akinlade, Joseph Adegbesan, and Afolabi Afuape, made it a point of duty to attend the event and felicitate with the Ogun State helmsman, widely seen in legislative circles as a strong pillar of support, and the people of the ancient town. This much was acknowledged by the leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who led the delegation on behalf of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Bamidele said: “This is the most attended programme from Abuja where you have the highest concentration of distinguished senators and honourable members of the House of Representatives. It is not by accident, it is because Governor Abiodun is involved and so it was not difficult for our dear brother and colleagues, Distinguished Senator Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), to invite us. Those who are not here amongst our colleagues are out of the country or attending some other programmes outside of Abuja. Governor Abiodun is an achiever and a serious-minded democrat and public servant. Flying into the international airport today (Saturday) did not only confirm the seriousness that we had always attached to Governor Abiodun, it also holds him out as a governor who did not only work hard during his first term, but because he realized that the second term is even more important. Those are the years of legacy creation and we are happy that he is leaving a lot of legacies behind.”
Read Also: FG moves to tackle address system challenges
The celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the people of Iperu-Remo saw masterful displays from horse riders, traditional drummers and the Eyo Masquerades, and a footballer who dazzled everyone present with his skills. Members of the Igbo, Hausa and other communities and sundry groups made the day unforgettable. And when Governor Abiodun took the microphone, it was applause galore. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Abiodun described the Akesan Day as an opportunity for all sons and daughters of the community to come together to foster unity and to celebrate the deep culture and traditions of the town. Noting the development strides the town had made in recent years, he promised to provide the town with greater infrastructure upgrade, adding that with the provision of infrastructure by his administration, the state would continue to be Nigeria’s industrial hub. His words: “We have the airport, the first truly Agricultural Processing Zone, which is one of the six zones approved by the Federal Government across the states. That zone will be completed in the third quarter of 2025. We will ensure that we are defined by people-oriented policies, programmes and projects. We will work till the end of our tenure in 2027.”
Lauding the Federal Government for approving the construction of the Nigeria Customs Federal Operating Unit in the State, the Ogun State governor averred that adding that with the provision of infrastructure by his administration, the state would continue to be the industrial hub of the country. The, state, he reiterated, would continue to play a significant role in Nigeria’s quest for industrial revolution.
Also speaking on the Gateway International Agro-cargo Airport, the Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, congratulated the people of the state for having a legacy project that would stand the test of time. As he noted, the project would open up the state for more investments. According to him, with the interest shown by government institutions like the Nigeria Customs and the private sector, the airport project is not only viable but would add value to the state’s economy in terms of internally generated revenue.
With the regular harvest of projects in road construction, housing, agriculture, health and education, analysts say that the Ogun State governor is laying the groundwork for a model state. As the APC chairman quipped, “the governor’s niche for infrastructural facilities is well documented. The governor is concerned about the progress of this town and the welfare of the people. That, really, is the objective of his ‘ISEYA’ mantra.
and then