Oyo State is naturally situated in a very strategic location with uncommon topographical friendliness, attractive climate, amiable soil and accidentally a “transit” state or a “gateway” state to be better described, Ogun State enjoying such symbol is of less significance compared to Other State. Ibadan specifically is an entry point from those coming Ogun State and Lagos State heading to the North, reason why the State has recently enjoyed the benevolence of Federal Government by experiencing the latest infrastructural endowment as to construction of “Lagos-Ibadan railway”, “Ibadan-Kano railway” and “Ibadan dry port”. This is one of the biggest opportunities for the state in tapping from the economic goodies that have been so focused on Lagos and Ogun State.
Historically, Ibadan being the capital of the old Western region enjoyed a lot of pace setting infrastructures that were hardly found in Capital territories of some African countries. In the pre-colonial days, the great Oyo Empire exploited the strategic nearness to the Northern parts of Benin Republic to strength it’s tentacles.
Interestingly, with the interruption of the military and subsequent civilian administration except for the Bola Ige administration whose legacies are still comparable with that of First republic. Oyo State has not experienced the kind of infratstructural revolution it encountered in the 50s/60s. These past administrations have concentrated more on roads and bridges and gave less attention to other social infrastructures like pipe-borne water, rehabilitation of schools and independent power projects etc.
Furthermore, the current administration of Engineer Seyi Makinde will be so transforming if other social infrastructures to be mentioned are given strategic attention especially with the use of “alternative building technology”. In my humble view, these are the most needed infrastructures in Oyo State and they include; road infrastructures especially those linking Agric-zones to the city centres, commencement of agric estates/agric settlements with modern farm storage facilities and processing tools, construction of alternative “cement roads” in fast developing areas in the city centres and semi-urban areas considering the growing deplorable condition of roads in “new sites” in Ibadan, independent power projects/mini-grid by taking advantage of the Okere gorge Saki to power Oke-Ogun/Ibarapa region and other special independent power supply for Ibadan, Oyo and Ogbomoso, commencement of modern pipe-borne water schemes by revamping Eleyele/Ashejire water plants to serve Ibadan and Erelu water plant to serve Oyo/Oke-Ogun, rehabilitation of 1,000 schools per year with “alternative brick building technology/wood technology for class furnitures to minimize costs, construction of 20,000 low cost housing to be executed with “alternative building technologies” to be sited all across fastest growing urban/semi-urban areas in the state and to be sold 4 million Naira per unit and waste recycling plants in key urban areas in the city of Ibadan and construction of eco-toilets similar to that of India in city slums and villages.
Conclusively, these suggested social infrastructures are very realistic to achieve with the introduction of alternative building technologies and not just relying on conventional technology only. If all cannot be executed for financial reasons, it must be noted that there is need for core investment in other social INFRASTRUCTURES beyond just roads and bridges that have not impacted the living standards of the people and minimize cost of living.
Mujib Dada-Qadri is a writer, policy and development analyst
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