Barely a week after appealing to Governor Seyi Makinde to expedite the completion of the Kishi-Igbope Road, the Onigbope of Igbope in Orelope Local Government Area of Oyo State, Oba (Dr.) Moses Olawale, has commended the governor over the progress recorded on the project and described him as a responsive leader committed to the welfare of the people.
The monarch gave the commendation during an inspection visit to the ongoing Kishi-Igbope Road project, where he expressed satisfaction with the pace of work by the contractors, saying the visible progress had renewed the confidence of residents in the state government’s commitment to infrastructure development.
Oba Olawale had last week appealed to the Makinde administration to fast-track the completion of the strategic road, particularly because of the rainy season, noting that the poor condition of the route had continued to hinder the movement of farmers, traders and other commuters.
Speaking after inspecting the project, the traditional ruler praised the governor for responding to the yearnings of the people, describing Makinde as “a listening and performing governor” whose administration has continued to prioritise projects that directly impact the lives of ordinary citizens.
He said the completion of the Kishi-Igbope Road would significantly improve the movement of agricultural produce, reduce transportation costs, enhance trade and open up more communities in the Oke-Ogun axis for economic growth.
“The road is of immense economic importance. Our farmers will be able to transport their produce with ease, businesses will thrive and the people will enjoy better access to markets and neighbouring communities. This project will contribute greatly to the economic development of Oyo State,” the monarch said.
Oba Olawale also applauded the governor for the recent acquisition of two Diamond DA42 Multi-Mission New Generation Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft, describing the move as a strategic investment in the security of lives and property.
He said the surveillance aircraft would strengthen intelligence gathering and complement the efforts of security agencies in tackling kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities across the state.
The monarch noted that combining critical infrastructure with improved security would encourage investment, support agriculture and create a more conducive environment for socio-economic development.
He further appealed to the Federal Government to assign constitutionally recognised security responsibilities to traditional rulers, arguing that monarchs possess intimate knowledge of their communities and could provide valuable intelligence to security agencies.
“Traditional rulers know their communities, the people and the terrain. If they are given defined constitutional roles in the nation’s security architecture, they can contribute immensely to intelligence gathering and crime prevention,” he said.
