Oyo State Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, has defended the Ibadan Circular Road project, describing it as a deliberate long-term development plan aimed at preventing uncontrolled urban expansion and securing the future growth of Ibadan and Oyo State.
Lawal spoke on Friday while commissioning the newly constructed office complex of the Executive Chairman of Egbeda Local Government, Sikiru Sanda, at the council secretariat in Egbeda, Ibadan.
The deputy governor said the Circular Road should not be viewed merely as another road construction project, arguing that the development was conceived as part of a broader plan to guide the expansion of Ibadan over the coming decades.
“The circular road is not an accidental project. It is a deliberate, visionary masterplan to prevent the kind of planning failures we see in other cities and to secure the future for Oyo State,” Lawal said.
He said the state government was seeking to avoid a repeat of what he described as the unplanned development that emerged around the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway following its construction.
According to him, proper planning around the Circular Road corridor would help regulate future development and provide opportunities for sustainable residential, commercial and industrial expansion.
Addressing concerns from property owners affected by the project, Lawal acknowledged that major infrastructure developments could affect private properties where land was required for overriding public purposes.
He, however, assured residents whose properties were affected by the Circular Road project that they would be compensated.
“Those whose houses were demolished will be compensated,” the deputy governor said, urging affected residents to understand the long-term objectives of the project.
Lawal also described Egbeda Local Government as strategically positioned to benefit from major development projects within and around the area.
He identified the Ibadan Circular Road, the Air Force Base in Ajia and other emerging development corridors as projects capable of transforming the economic and physical landscape of Egbeda.
According to the deputy governor, Egbeda’s location places the council at a strategic point within Ibadan’s expanding development corridors and could create opportunities for investment and economic growth.
Speaking at the event, Sanda said the newly commissioned chairman’s office was financed entirely from the internally generated revenue of Egbeda Local Government.
The council chairman said the project was undertaken without funding from the state or federal government and described it as part of his administration’s efforts to leave lasting infrastructure at the council.
Sanda also commended Governor Seyi Makinde for what he described as an enabling environment for local government chairmen to implement development projects within their respective councils.
He pledged that his administration would continue to undertake projects and improve service delivery to residents of Egbeda until the end of his tenure.
The commissioning ceremony also featured the presentation of awards to former chairmen of Egbeda Local Government in recognition of their contributions to the development of the council.
