By Rosiji Adeyemi
Owners of properties along the Circular Road being undertaken by the Governor Seyi Makinde administration, on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest across many streets in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The property owners along the six local government areas of Akinyele, Oluyole, Egbeda, Lagelu, Ona-Ara, and Ido had in the past called on Governor Makinde to desist from taking 500 metres to the left and right on the Circular Road corridor, which is under construction.
They said the ongoing construction which is leading to the demolition of many buildings has led to many untimely deaths.
The protesters carried placards bearing various inscriptions such as ‘’corridor is a scam’, ‘we are dying, Seyi Makinde’, ‘don’t demolish 35 thousand buildings’, ‘many are dying, Seyi Makinde’, ‘development should not be at our detriment’, ‘save our souls concerning 500 metres circular road’, and so on. The Chairman of the affected communities across the six local government areas, Oloye Ahmed Adedeji Lamolo, called on Makinde to adhere to the original 150 metres setback.
Adedeji Lamolo said: ‘’500 metres to the left and right of the Circular Road is out of it. It is not in the original gazzette initiated by former Governor Rashidi Ladoja. It is a scam. Stop it now, people are dying over demolition of their properties. Any development that is leading to deaths is no longer a development. We want the governor to stop the exercise and reverse to the 150 metres approved by former Governor Ladoja. 150 metres is enough’’.
The protesters, who landed at the Oyo State Government Secretariat Complex, were received by the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde, CP Sunday Odunkoya [rtd].
Odunkoya urged them to exercise patience, promising that their message will be delivered to the Governor when he returns.
‘’Exercise patience, promising that their message will be delivered to the Governor when he returns’’, he said.
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