Developing Oke-Ogun is important to our administration —Arulogun, Oyo Commissioner for Information

The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun is regarded as the mouthpiece of the Governor Abiola Ajimobi government, hence his usually extensive articulation of the government’s policies at different fora. In this interview by TUNDE BUSARI, Arulogun speaks on the state of Oke-Ogun region.

What does Oke-Ogun region represent to Oyo State?

Without doubt, Oke-Ogun in Oyo State is very significant and indeed strategic to the state given the fact that it is about the second largest zone in the state, following Ibadan/Ibarapa zone, in terms of size. Also, it represents the most potent and most viable zone for agriculture in the state. It is regarded as the state’s food basket. And you would agree with me that agriculture is an important programme of Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration. It is one of the legacies which Governor Ajimobi will like to leave behind. In this regard, the zone is key to the administration, and if we want Oyo State to be the food basket of the South West geo-political zone, it means that Oke-Ogun is strategic.

A tour of the region reveals the state of bad roads there. What is the government doing about this?

At the last state executive council meeting, Governor Ajimobi declared his intention in fixing the Ibadan-Iseyin road in particular and directed that the contract be advertised. The government is not closing its eyes on this. Improving infrastructural facilities is one of our cardinal programmes. The entry roads to major towns have been dualised as you can see in Iseyin. About 125 roads are going to be done in all local government and local council development areas across the state. I should not forget to mention the Saki-Ibariba road too. I can tell you with every sense of responsibility that this government is giving attention to Oke-Ogun region. You must be aware of the Aso-Ofi festival that was held in Iseyin too as a way of expanding that fabric industry in the town which Iseyin is reputed for.

Could you shed more light on this?

Without doubt, the two editions of Aso-Ofi festival which we held in Iseyin have changed the face of that town as regards showcasing that fabric. To further demonstrate the government’s seriousness in developing the industry, the governor laid the foundation stone of Aso-Ofi International Tourism Market on 13.5 hectares. Features of the market include weaving sheds/workshops, exhibition shops, a warehouse, first indigenous textile museum in Nigeria, a fire station, a clinic and a police station. I can only urge the people there to keep their faith in government because this is a fair government which is more interested in leaving a lasting legacy to the people.

What is the political significance of the zone to the state?

Politically, Oke-Ogun is a major voting zone. During the last election, you discover that it played a major role in the unprecedented second term mandate of the governor. We cannot therefore underestimate the strategic importance of Oke-Ogun in Oyo State. That has informed the attention Governor Ajimobi has given to the zone as he has given to other senatorial districts in the state. There is a lot more. For instance, the statistics given to us by the West African Examination Council on the 2016/2017 examination showed that the region did well in the state. So it is an unarguable fact that we cannot underestimate the importance of Oke-Ogun zone.

How did the vote of Oke-Ogun translate to appointments for the indigenes in this present administration?

Let me start from the deputy governor. He is from there. The commissioner for works, the commissioner for lands, the commissioner for environment, the chief judge, the special assistant on solid minerals, members of the State Universal Basic Education Board and civil service commission are all from there. Not only that, there are five senior special assistants to the deputy governor, the project director of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State and a member of the Oyo State Health Management Board who are from that region. According to the principle of fairness with which Governor Abola Ajimobi administers the state, Oke Ogun is well represented in this administration.