My choice of your medium for airing these opinions of mine is hinged on your progressive stance, evidenced in your view on issues of societal significance. I trust that whatever view I communicate shall be accorded a space in your highly reputable and widely-read newspaper.
Permit me a little time and space to comment briefly on your auspicious role played in making frantic efforts at correcting the numerous and multifarious ills, odds and malaise plaguing our existence and collectivity.
I urge you to forge ahead in your role aimed at bettering the lots of the society and its residents; most especially, making a better place for the upcoming generation. The patriots are solidly behind you and by the grace of God, your untiring efforts shall fruit-ionize in transforming the society into the enviable status of a free, just and egalitarian society of the dreams of our forebears. I wish greater grace to your elbows.
The efforts of the incumbent administration at improving the status, quality and pedigree of infrastructure of the State of Osun in its entirety since its assumption of office have caught my attention. Most especially in this regard, the infrastructural rebirth ongoing within the metropolis of Osogbo, the state capital under the aegis of the State of Osun Urban Renewal Project is worthy of commendation. The project has come under serious appraisal by well-meaning indigenes and residents as well as visitors and passers-by who spared no means to drum support and accolades for the development which have been adjudged unprecedented in the annals of the state.
Prior to the creation of the State of Osun in 1991, much effort had been made to change the outlook and rating of Osogbo among its equals in Nigeria and yonder. Unfortunately, much of these efforts and attempts were either too spurious or superficial, hence, they lacked the necessary will-power to get them through, As a matter of fact, none of the efforts made so far had been as proactive and resolute as those made by the incumbent administration.
Following the demise in 1987 of our political giant, father and legend, Chief Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo, the stretch of main road entering the city from Ikirun axis at Stadium / Omo West end, through the Onisekere / Ayetoro Junction to somewhere at Boorepo / Igbonna area was named as Obafemi Awolowo Way as mark of honour to immortalize the name and legacy of the social avatar.
Thank God that in spite of various bouts of socio-political storms and billows which the state has witnessed within the space of its almost twenty-three years of existence, nothing has occurred to alter this arrangement. As far as our state capital is concerned, the sage lives on. The naming of that stretch of our major road was so effected in those days of our existence as part of the old Oyo State by the military administration of the time. This was against the backdrop that military regimes were notorious for their anti-democratic postures! As a people, we shall forever remain grateful for that right step taken in the right direction.
Deserving of greater measures of gratitude is the recent development being witnessed on that entire expanse of road which is currently undergoing total reconstruction towards its Ikirun / Ila-Odo / Erin-Ile / Kwara State Boundary and the Old Garage / City Centre of the metropolis. The reconstruction initiative, among other things include widening of the road, its dualization, the building of elaborate street divide, defining of set-backs as statutorily appropriate and provision of street lights. Other measures include provision of well-defined drainage channels, construction of junction links and traffic-friendly U-turn points, clear markings for the road and proper and adequate provisions for pedestrians on the road.
•Lanre Siyanbola, Oja Timi Area, Ede, State of Osun.
