Monarch Wants FG Projects in Domain As 90th Birthday Gift 

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

To celebrate his 64th anniversary on the throne and 90th birthday, the Onigede of Igede-Ekiti, Oba James Adelusi, has asked the Federal Government to give him a birthday gift of massive people-oriented projects in his domain.

Specifically, Oba Adelusi is seeking the government’s attention on both Federal and state roads across his domain, stressing that road infrastructure is key to economic development of any community. 

The monarch, who disclosed that the community is blessed with human capital, also called on government to establish technical institutions for youths to learn skills and vocations that would be of great value to the society.

He said: “We already have a building for the specialized school and if this is done for us, our youths will have where to go and learn vocations to improve their lives and the community. 

“We need more road network in the community because majority of them are poor and dilapidated, thereby making it difficult for people across the country to visit us and see our potential.

“I am calling on our President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, to look into the state of our roads in Igede, especially the federal roads. It was started over 20 years ago.”

During the monarch’s double celebrations, youths and residents of Igede-Ekiti, headquarters of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, staged a protest to call the attention of the federal and state governments to dilapidated roads in the community.

The protesters, who Wednesday barricaded the busy Igede-Aramoko road for hours, carried placards and chanted songs drawing the attention of government to their plights.

Some of the inscription on the placards included “Igede-Erinjiyan-Ikogosi, Please Complete Iyin/Igede/Aramoko-Itawure”, “Dredging of Emerin River” and “May BAO succeed”, among others.

Speaking, the leader of the protesters, Olufemi Adebayo, who commended the state Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for his efforts since he assumed office, called his attention to the poor conditions of road in the community.

Adebayo lamented the neglect of the major roads in the community including the deplorable Iyin/Igede/Aramoko-Itawure road, which he said has been abandoned over the last 20 years.

He said: “We have seen the impact of the governor since he was elected and that is why we are using this opportunity to let him know that Igede-Ekiti being the headquarters of the LGA, will want to see more dividends of democracy.

“We have infrastructural needs especially the construction of Ado-Iyin-Igede-Aramoko-Itawure road and we are calling on him to consider the community. 

“There is another important road linking the town to other local government areas especially Iworoko-Ekiti and by our estimation, if the road is constructed, we might not even need higher institution because the road will open us to economic prosperity as a result of the Ekiti State University Ado-Ekiti.”