Date: 2012-06-19

Indigenes of Ilorin, under the umbrella of Ilorin Emirate Descendant Progressive Union (IEDPU), frowned yesterday at what they described as the "elitist land policy of the Kwara State Government" and urged the state lawmakers to implement a planned review of the policy they argued is allegedly ceding community lands acquired for public interest to private individuals. 

The union, in a statement signed by its President and a former Chief Judge of the state, Justice Saka Yusuf (rtd), said the alleged 'excision' of large portions of land from public schools was  capable of destroying  what represent significant milestones in the culture and intellectual development of the community.

The union also warned that it would not hesitate to pursue other legitimate means to undo what it described as "unacceptable land policy" of the government "if the attempt of the Kwara State House of Assembly in that directive is insensitively ignored".

Excerpt from the statement reads: "The people of Ilorin Emirate were and still not delighted with the elitist land policy, particularly as it has to do with the insensitive excisions of large portions of land from public schools and institutions for onward stage-managed allocation to the highest and influential bidders.

"Our distinguished and visionary fore bearers who granted those public institutions such large portions of lands actually knew what they were doing as the reasons for such are still justifiable even many decades after the original acquisition.

"The Union therefore advise the Kwara state government to legitimately open up fallow and un-occupied land for residential and other worthwhile purposes instead of annexing land of institutions that represented significant milestone in our culture and intellectual advancement just to satisfy the yearning of a few.

"The umbrella socio-cultural organisation of the people of Ilorin Emirate also warned that the community, as an important stakeholder, would not accept a situation where lands originally acquired for public interest are disdainfully converted into private usage which is a blatant violation of the core objective (s) behind the acquisition in the first instance".

Meanwhile members of the state assembly have called on Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed to liaise with National Assembly members from the state to ensure the re-award of contract for the Ajase-Ipo, Ijagbo-Offa-Erin-Ile –Osun boundary road which was earlier awarded last year by the Federal Government at the cost of N248 million.

The lawmakers made the resolution while considering a motion on matters of urgent importance brought by a member representing Oke-Ogun constituency, Kamal Fagbemi on the slow pace of work on the rehabilitation of the road.

The meeting, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Professor Gana Yisa, equally directed the committee on Energy, Works and Transport to collaborate with members of the national assembly from the state with a view to ensuring that all FERMA road projects in the state are completed according to specification.

The lawmakers also urged the state government to include Idofian-Igbowu-Maloko-Igbaja Road in the budget fro next year while directing officials of the Ifelodun local government area to ensure regular maintenance of the said road pending the construction.