With Fisayo Akinduro
In governance, there are moments that merely sustain the machinery of government, and there are moments that seek to alter the course of development itself. For Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the past week belonged firmly to the latter.
Across transportation, education, healthcare, water resources, traditional institutions and public infrastructure, the Ondo State Executive Council rolled out a package of decisions whose implications are expected to resonate far beyond the walls of the council chamber.
Presiding over the meeting, Governor Aiyedatiwa led deliberations that produced approvals aimed at confronting long-standing challenges while opening new pathways for growth and service delivery across the state.
At the centre of the week’s landmark decisions was the approval of a 2.38-kilometre flyover bridge in Akure, a project conceived to unlock one of the state capital’s most congested transport corridors.
For years, the Alagbaka–Federal University of Technology, Akure axis has served as a critical gateway for workers, students, traders and motorists. Daily traffic gridlock along the route has become a familiar experience, slowing movement and placing pressure on economic activities within the capital city.
Traffic studies conducted at various periods of the day painted a compelling picture. From the early morning rush between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. to afternoon and evening peak hours, assessments of motorcycles, cars, lorries and other vehicles revealed a corridor struggling under the weight of increasing traffic volume.
The verdict was clear. The answer, according to the findings presented to the Executive Council, was the construction of a flyover.
The approved 94-span structure will stretch from Adegbola Junction to St Mattias/NNPC Filling Station in Alagbaka, creating what is expected to become one of the most significant urban transport projects undertaken in the state in recent years. Preliminary surveys are expected to commence as the project moves towards implementation.
Yet transportation was only one chapter in a week defined by sweeping interventions.
In a move capable of reshaping the higher education landscape of the state, the council approved the upgrade of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, to the University of Agricultural Science and Technology.
The decision reflects growing demand for university education and the need to equip future generations with specialised knowledge in sectors critical to economic development. As the oldest tertiary institution in Ondo State, RUGIPO is set to begin a new journey, evolving into a university designed to deliver practical and globally relevant education.
The proposed institution will operate eight faculties in agriculture, science, technology and engineering, positioning itself as a centre for innovation, skills development and academic excellence.
The administration’s focus on human development was equally evident in the health sector.
Recognising the growing need for advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities, the Executive Council approved the procurement of specialised radiodiagnostic equipment for the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH).
The equipment package includes Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines, Computed Tomography scanners, ultrasound equipment, mammography facilities for breast cancer screening, static and mobile digital X-ray machines, 4D ultrasound systems and specialised theatre, Ear, Nose and Throat and ophthalmology equipment.
The intervention is expected to strengthen healthcare delivery while enhancing the institution’s capacity for medical training and specialised treatment.
Beyond roads and hospitals, the administration also turned attention to one of the most fundamental necessities of life, water.
The council approved counterpart funding for the rehabilitation of the multipurpose Owena Dam project, a critical initiative aimed at improving potable water supply to Akure and surrounding local government areas.
With the project already about 40 per cent completed, the approval provides fresh momentum for a programme supported by development partners, including the World Bank, African Development Bank and French Development Bank. The expected outcomes include expanded access to clean water, improved sanitation and a reduction in waterborne diseases.
Traditional institutions were not left out of the week’s defining decisions. The Executive Council approved the appointment of Samuel Odimayo as the new Olofun of Irele, ending sustained calls from the community for the installation of a traditional ruler. The appointment is expected to strengthen traditional leadership structures and foster greater stability within the community.
The week also spotted the administration’s determination to spread development beyond urban centres.
Approvals were granted for the canalisation of a 40-kilometre main canal from Ugbonla to Awoye, with a spur to Idi Ogba in Ilaje Local Government area. The council equally approved the construction of a concrete walkway in Obenla and Idiogba communities, as well as road projects including Zion Pepe–Agerige Township Road, Bayo Phillips Road, Araromi Seaside and selected roads in Igboegunrin Town.
Further approvals covered the Irele–Sabomi–Igbotu Road; Agadagba–Ile Ikiri–Igaligbo Road; Okumo–Igodan Lisa Road, access and internal roads at the Ondo State University of Medical Sciences, and selected roads across Akure, Owo, Ondo East, Ondo West, Akure North, Ifedore, Idanre, Odigbo and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo local government areas.
The rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of the Ayedun–Akure/Owo Expressway, construction of the Oba–Ikun–Afo–Idoani Road, Imo Arigidi–Agbaluku Road and rehabilitation of the Arigidi–Oke Agbe Road also received council approval.
Rounding off the week’s extensive agenda was the approval for the construction of a new Ministry of Finance Office Complex, Finance House, at Alagbaka, Akure.
Taken individually, each approval addressed a specific challenge. Viewed collectively, however, they revealed a broader vision, one focused on mobility, education, healthcare, water security and infrastructure renewal.
For Governor Aiyedatiwa, the week was more than a sequence of government announcements. It was a week of defining choices, decisions that now stand as blueprints for projects and institutions expected to shape the development trajectory of Ondo State in the years ahead.