Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Thursday came hard on the owner of a popular event centre in Ibadan called Jogor Centre, Engr. Femi Babalola, saying that he (Babalola) was only trying to politicize the opening up of the access road which he had blocked for several years.
The governor spoke while receiving the elders, community leaders and members of the Landlords and Residents Association of Joyce B community in Ibadan who were on a `thank you’ visit to him for linking their area with Liberty Stadium Road.
The state government had embarked on the opening up of the road linking Joyce-B Road to Liberty Stadium Road through the construction of a link-bridge in order to create a thoroughfare and make the area more accessible to the public.
Engr. Babalola had, however, dragged the state government to court, seeking an injunction restraining it from carrying out any construction work(s) or trespassing on the property.
The Director-General of the State Public Works Department, Engr. Taiwo Akintola, had, however, debunked the claims, saying that government had not flouted any court order concerning Babalola’s business concern situated behind Plot 3, Ibadan Municipal Government Layout, along Liberty Stadium Road, Ibadan.
Governor Ajimobi, while addressing the leaders and elders of the community, warned the Jogor Centre owner against subjecting government’s action to undue politics.
``The Jogor Centre man is only politicizing the issue. He blocked the road which he has no right to block. He should go and look at the master plan of the area. We have removed the fence so as to open up the road for the community which has been suffering for several years.
``We can’t allow anybody to block a road that is serving the larger interest of the people,’’ he said, promising that more of such roads would also be opened up by his government across the state.
The spokesman of the community, Alhaji Mudasiru Popoola had earlier said that his people decided to visit the governor to say `a big thank you’ to him for putting an end to their suffering by opening up the road which had been closed by the owner of Jogor Centre for several years.
He said that the closure had thrown the entire community into untold hardship, as they were usually subjected to untold hardship while reaching other parts of Ibadan metropolis.
``Since the construction of the link bridge and the tarring of the road, we have been greatly relieved and we are eternally grateful Governor Ajimobi,’’ Alhaji Popoola said.
