Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has unveiled the Prince Olaide Akinremi Jagaban Government Reserved Area (GRA) to immortalise the late All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, who represented Ibadan North Federal Constituency from 2019 till his death on July 10, 2024.
Governor Makinde, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Barr. Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal, during the unveiling of the project held at the Dominion University Road, Samonda, Ibadan, also announced that the ongoing reconstruction of UI-Samonda Road linking Sango/Poly Road would be completed soon.
The governor maintained that his decision to name the GRA after Akinremi has nothing to do with politics, noting that the state government chose to honour the memories of the late lawmaker for his notable achievements in Ibadan North Federal Constituency and Oyo State.
He assured that the project would be delivered to standard as everything needed in terms of infrastructure and other facilities in the estate were already on the ground.
Makinde equally appreciated another APC chieftain and Ekefa Olubadan, High Chief Akinade Fijabi, for attending the event despite being an opposition party member.
Barrister Lawal said: “Today, what we are doing is very significant. I was with the governor in July 2024 when they called him from Abuja to inform him about the death of Jagaban. He said to me that ‘we have lost a gem in Ibadanland.’
“From that moment till this time, the governor and I thought on how to immortalise this gentleman, and he said immortalisation is not about giving money, building houses and giving out material things but about doing something that would be more enduring. So, the governor said there is a parcel of land at Samonda, which we can use to build an Estate and name it after Jagaban.
“So, I am very happy on behalf of the governor that the promise he made that day has come to pass today. This and everything that everyone has said about Jagaban have shown that he lived well in his time. What this means to us is that what we do in life will continue to live after us as human beings.
“Let me use this opportunity to say that, as a government, we are doing what we are supposed to do and that is why we are immortalising Jagaban today.
“My prayer is that the Almighty Allah should uphold all the things he left.
“So, on behalf of the governor, I want to appreciate all of you here. I have inspected this Estate personally and I have seen that all the things needed to build the infrastructure and other things are ready.
“The governor has also given the solid assurance that the roads linking this Estate up to Sango would be fixed and they are being fixed right now.
“Strictly speaking, what we are doing today is not about politics.”
In his welcome address at the event, the chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, Hon. Oluseun Olufade, lauded the governor for immortalising a worthy indigene of Ibadan North by naming the GRA after him.
He urged political and public office holders to learn a lesson from the uncommon gesture, just as he hailed the governor for executing a lot of infrastructure development projects in the council.
In his remarks, the chairman of the day, High Chief Fijabi, commended Governor Makinde for the laudable infrastructural projects he has been executing in the state and for running an inclusive government that cares for everyone, irrespective of political affiliations.
He urged the people of Ibadan North Federal Constituency to seal the immortalisation of Hon. Akinremi by voting massively for Hon. Folajinmi Oyekunle, the PDP candidate in the by-election to fill the vacant Ibadan North House of Representatives seat slated for Saturday, August 16, 2025.
Speaking on behalf of the Akinremi family, Alhaji Abideen Akinremi thanked Governor Makinde for his support to the family since the demise of their brother, assuring that the family would continue to remember the gesture.
In their separate goodwill messages and tribute to the late Prince Akinremi, Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Toyin Balogun and a member of the Akinremi Legacy Forum, Mr Michael Adegbuyi, appreciated Governor Makinde for honouring him through the generational project.
Also speaking, the representative of the contractor, Messrs Gazzle Nigeria Limited, Mr Tomiwa Bickersteth, commended Governor Makinde for the project, which he described as a befitting legacy for the deceased.
The event had in attendance a former deputy governor of Oyo State, Barr Hazeem Gbolarumi; member representing Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North Federal Consistency, Hon Anthony Adepoju; members representing Ibadan North I and II state constituencies in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Comforter Olajide and Hon Gabriel Babajide; and Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon Kazeem Adeniyi.
Others were the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Mr Akin Williams -Funmilayo; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon Ademola Ojo; Commissioner for Works and Transport, Hon Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola; Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon Segun Olayiwola; traditional rulers; religious leaders and members of the Akinremi Legacy Forum, among other dignitaries.
