…..Lament “Wetin we do,” “Irekari is part of Ondo State,” “We have been marginalized,” “No road. No bank, No light,” “No Hospital. No Court, No school facilities for CBT exams.”
Worried by level of marginalisation, youths from Irekari Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State have protested at the Governor’s Office in Alagbaka, Akure, the State capital, over deplorable condition of roads and nonavailability of hospitals and other social amenities in the four-town, LCDA, Afo, Imeri, Idogun and Idoani.
The youths brandished placards with different inscriptions including “Mr. Governor, We Are Suffering,” “Kilese Wa.? “Our roads are deplorable, Wetin we do,” “Irekari is part of Ondo State,” “We have been marginalized,” “No road. No bank, No light,” “No Hospital. No Court, No school facilities for CBT exams.”
Expressing their grievances when they were attended to by the Special Adviser(Political Matters) to the governor, Smart Omodunbi Jr., the leader of the protesting youths, Adewumi Adekola, disclosed that SS 3 students of Irekari Comprehensive Grammar School, Idoani would be moving to Owo to write their West Africa School Certificate Examination in May because there’s no Computer-Based Test(CBT) centre in the LCDA.
They lamented that several residents of the four communities had been victims of evitable death as they had to travel for two hours before they could access the Federal Medical Centre in Owo for medical attention.
Adekola disclosed that many sick residents died while on the way to Owo, including Reverend Father who suffered the same fate a fortnight ago.
The youths said the LCDA was excluded from the emergency road intervention projects rolled by the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa-led administration.
According to him, Customary court and Magistrate’s Court in the community had been relocated because the workers complained about the deplorable condition of the access roads to the LCDA.
The youths under the auspices of Irekari Progressive Youth Movement, in a letter handed over to the Special Adviser (Political Matters) Smart for onward delivery to the governor, listed the challenges being faced by the residents of the four communities.
The letter entitled: “A Letter of Protest and Charter of Our Demands,” and addressed to the governor, was jointly signed by Adewumi Adekola and Ade Akingbade and Femi Agbaje.
The letter reads in parts: “We the above-named group of energetic and progress minded youths of Idoani, Afo, Imeri and Idogun, being the communities making up the Irekari zone of Ose Local Government area of our dear state, do, out of genuine concern for our beloved community, bring our Save our Soul protest to you today being the 5th November, 2025.
“Dear Governor sir, our community is fast becoming ostracised from the rest of the state consistently for the past 8years and still counting.
“With our problems not limited to lack of access to medicare, as a result of our moribund general hospital in Idoani, the four communities in Ireakari suffer acute shortage of power supply laced with obvious exploitation by BEDC officials, lack of access to justice as a result of the relocation of our magistrate and customary courts located in Idoani to other parts of the state.
“When we enquire about the reason behind this vexatious relocation, it was shocking to us that the deplorable state of our roads was given as a reason for this decision (what a tragedy?). A court affidavit that could easily be sorted out by a stroll into the court precinct before now, now means travelling to as far as Oba, Owo, Ifon or in most cases Akure before we can access such service thereby adding to the financial burdens of an average resident of our communities.
“Top on the list of our problem is total and complete deplorable state of all the roads leading to our community these include Ipele-Idoani and Ifira-Isua road and Oba-Ikun-Afo-Idoani road (which is a state government road). These roads have been completely washed off and very impassable thereby cutting us off from the rest of the state.
“This parlous situation has exposed our communities to other sundry security challenge. Hence, the reason we are here to protest that you take a look at us sir, we seem to be losing faith in our representative in the parliament who has consistently admonished us that you are aware of the situation already, but the reality on ground never shows that you are aware of the travails sir.
“Because, only recently, we read on the news of your approval of a total of 101km of roads to which that Afo-Idoani road was conspicuously missing. Mr. Governor save our soul sir; we deserve a good life too.
“Our Chatter of Demands: We hereby demand the following from our amiable governor sir; The immediate repair of Afo-Idoani road without further delay.
Complete overhauling of Idoani General Hospital. Reversal of the relocation of our magistrate and customary courts immediately.
“Immediate intervention in the erratic power supply in our community. Renovation and staffing of Irekari Comprehensive Grammar School, Idoani.
Strengthening of security architecture in our locality. Physical presence of state govt in our locality.
“We shall be grateful if our demands are attended to in the quickest time possible.”
Having received a copy the letter, the Special Adviser (Political Matters), to the governor, Smart Omodunbi Jr. empathized with the protesters, promising to submit the letter to the governor.
He told the youths that he had spoken with the Chairman of Ose Local Government Area and informed him about their grievances.
Omodunbi Jr., therefore, assured the protesters that the governor would take action immediately and direct all relevant officials to visit the towns and fix the roads without delay.
He said: “I want to assure you that I will deliver this letter to the governor. He’s already aware that you are here. I have his authority to attend to you.
“I can assure that immediate action would be taken immediately the governor reads this letter
“I want to appreciate you for the way you comport yourselves while expressing your grievances.
“The governor is passionate about issues that concern the youths of the state, and I want to assure you that he would attend to your grievances without delay.”
