By Olatoye Ojo
It is with a very great pleasure that I, on behalf of His Royal Majesty, Oba Hammed Adekunle Makama Oyelude, Tegbosun III, Olowu of Owu-Kuta, His Royal Majesty, Oba Afiz Adigun Badeji Akinmoyero Akinropo III, Onikoyi of Ikoyi and the entire sons and daughters of the two communities, most heartily welcome Your Excellencies, our Royal Fathers, the Chief of Army Staff and the entire members of his Team from the Army Headquarters and other Army Units and formations across the country, all members of the Osun State Executive Council, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, and gentlemen of the Press to this most historic event of the commissioning of the bridge constructed over Osun River by the Nigerian Army under the able leadership of Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai.
From time immemorial, our forefathers from Kuta, Ikoyi and Ede Communities had appreciated the significance of transportation as a tool for economic development and emancipation of our area and the need for a motorable road to link these communities and open them up to the outside world. Unfortunately, Osun river along the envisaged Kuta-Ikoyi-Ede Road by our forefathers constituted a major obstacle which could only be overcome with the construction of a bridge over it.
A brief history of Kuta-Ikoyi-Ede Road and Osun bridge is contained in another section of the programme of today’s event detailing some of the efforts of our people over the years to construct the bridge through communal efforts and appeal to governments at state and federal levels, all to no avail.
The Almighty God has raised His Royal Majesty, Oba Hammed Adekunle Makama Oyelude, Tegbosun III as His vessel to overcome the major obstacle of this Osun river bridge along Kuta-Ikoyi-Ede Road through the wonderful intervention of the Nigerian Army under the able leadership of Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.
I wish to stress the socio-economic significance of this project with respect to the unlocking of development potentials of this axis not only to Osun State but the entire country as a whole. The Kuta-Ikoyi-Ede axis as a development hub or corridor is served by Lagos-Kano rail line as well as the Sate of Osun International Airport. Accordingly, it enjoys road, rail and air transportation while ample water from Osun river is an additional impetus for development purposes.
May I therefore use this opportunity to appeal to all prospective developers and investors in the public and private sectors of our economy to take advantage of the transport infrastructure available and the large expanse of fertile land along the Kuta-Ikoyi-Ede investment corridor and see this as a worthwhile investment destinationHaving invested so much in this bridge project, I want to appeal to The Nigerian Army to kindly consider siting any of her Units that are deemed fit for this corridor. I want to extend same appeal to the Federal and State Governments.
In conclusion, on behalf of our monarchs, sons and daughters of the host communities, we are very grateful to the Nigerian Army under her able leadership, the Federal Government and the Government of Osun State for facilitating the ultimate construction of the entire road. At the home front, I want to publicly acknowledge and appreciate the wonderful display of patriotic zeal by all sons and daughters of Owu-Kuta and Ikoyi Communities.
Without doubt, your financial contributions to the hosting of today’s event have clearly shown that ‘Kuta and Ikoyi Titun’ have arrived. May God replenish our respective treasuries a trillion-fold, Amen. I plead that we please kindly sustain the spirit of this patriotic zeal. The Central Working Committee and all sub-Committees of this event have done wonderfully well with pivotal role played by the President of Kuta United Front, Elder Adegboyega Adeniran.
Once again, I thank you all for gracing this occasion and wish all of us journey mercies back to our respective destinations.
Being an address presented by Prof Olatoye Ojo on behalf of Owu-Kuta and Ikoyi communities 0n Monday 14th September, 2020 at the commissioning ceremony of the Bailey Bridge constructed over Osun River by the Nigerian Army
Professor Olatoye Ojo, PhD, FNIVS, RSV is a professor of Estate Management at the University of Ife, OAU
14 September, 2020.
