1

Kazeem Awojoodu

Residents and property owners from six local government areas in Ibadan on Monday staged a peaceful protest at the Oyo State Secretariat, calling on the state government to halt the proposed expansion of the Ibadan Circular Road corridor beyond the approved 150-metre boundary.

The protesters, drawn from Akinyele, Oluyole, Egbeda, Lagelu, Ona-Ara, and Ido Local Government Areas, carried placards with various inscriptions appealing to Governor Seyi Makinde to reconsider the planned expansion. Some of the placards read: “We are begging Governor Makinde” and “No to further demolition.”

Speaking on behalf of the affected communities, the Coordinator and Secretary of the Ibadan Circular Road Communities Representatives, Mr. Niyi Fasoye, appealed to Governor Makinde to fulfil his earlier promise that no additional houses would be demolished for the project’s expansion.

Fasoye said, “We are not against the development of the Ibadan Circular Road. It is a laudable project that will open up our communities and boost the state’s economy.

“However, we are pleading with the governor to honour his 2024 assurance that the project will be executed within the approved 150-metre corridor.”

One of the protesters, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Fijabi, a landlady in the area, also acknowledged the importance of the project but urged the government to stick to the original plan.

“The Circular Road is a good initiative that will enhance transportation and development of the state but the government need to consider us.

The residents also refuted claims that the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, provided financial assistance to those affected by the project, alleging that any support given was limited to his political supporters, not the wider community.