Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
The hallmark of fidelity amongst political leaders is the seldom ability to fulfill their electoral promises. Moreso, the very best demonstration of integrity by any man of honour is the commitment to fulfillment of every conscious promise made by such individual. Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, the Executive Governor of Ondo State is one politician that aptly captures the best description of ‘omoluabi’, a man of honour and integrity. He is a promise keeper who is just too blunt, truthful and faithful to be a politician.
Akeredolu came into office with the twin promises of regular payment of workers salary and to leave Ondo state far better than he met it terms of physical infrastructures. Lo and behold, the gentleman has stayed absolutely faithful to the fulfilment of these promises. One area where Akeredolu deserves applause is the fact that all projects inherited from his predecessor are now either completed or at various advanced completion stages. This is also in addition to new projects initiated by him that are either completed now or still ongoing.
It is noteworthy that Akeredolu has
delivered more than 45 kilometres of roads in Ondo state across the three senatorial districts. The governor has been working assiduously to build enduring infrastructures that will connect the entire 18 local government areas of Ondo state. Particularly worthy of mention amongst the completed projects is the hilly Oke-Alabojuto road that has now succumbed to the bulldozers deployed by Governor Akeredolu. The once nightmarish hilly road that was hitherto thought impossible to level has now been successfully leveled and dualized by the gentleman Governor of Ondo state within his two years of office.
Aside the conquered mythical Oke- Alabojuto hilly road, other road projects that have been completed in Ondo North Senatorial District of the Sunshine state include the 2.5 kilometre Jubilee- Ugbe road, 1.5 kilometre Supare (Oke Afaa) road, 27.5 kilometre Iwaro road and 2.5 kilometre Hewlet road. Other road projects that have also been completed by the administration of Akeredolu in the Northern Senatorial District are Ogbo Omo, Igbadara and Ayegunle road in Ifon. Others are the 2.5 kilometre internal roads in Owo G.R.A and the dualisation of adjoining roads in Owo. It is worthy of note that all these projects were flagged off and completed within the first two years that Akeredolu assumed office.
Aketi as he popularly known has also undertaken the reconstruction of three major culverts that collapsed in Ikare-Akoko.
Meanwhile, dualisation of 4.3 kilometre Ikare township road and 7.1 kilometre road in Owo are now at advanced stages of completion. Also worthy of commendation is the repair of Owo/Ikare road which is owned by the federal government. This is an intervention that has saved the entire Akoko land from being cut-off from other parts of the state due to roads that were hitherto impassable.
The visionary Rotimi Akeredolu has also given hope of a new lease of life to the people of Idanre in Ondo Central Senatorial District of the state. He has embarked on the construction of 15 kilometer virgin road from Ijoka road in Akure to Idanre. The hilly town of Idanre has until now has just one road that serves the dual purposes of entrance and exit for several decades. But this narration has been changed by the ingenuity of Akeredolu. The ongoing project when completed will definitely open up the hilly town of Idanre and equally help farmers to transport their produce with ease; thereby ensuring improved economy of the town. Another major ongoing road project in Ondo Central Senatorial District of the state is the 7.8 kilometre Akure-Ijoka-A Divison road. Meanwhile, Akeredolu in his first two years of office completed and delivered the 1.5 kilometre Abusoro road in Akure; 2 kilometre Iwalewa-Alafiatayo-Hospital-Oshinle road in Akure and the 3 kilometre Okelisa and Bajare roads in Idanre. Also, road projects that are now at advanced stages of completion include the Oke-Ogba road in Akure, Alagbaka-High Court-SIB road, Akure, Gaga road in Akure, Igbaraoke-Ibuji road, Isharun township roads and Bolodunro-Fagbo road in Ondo East Local Government.
The administration of Rotimi Akeredolu has begun the reconstruction of road network of Oke-Ogba Community in Akure, the state capital. Residents of the densely populated community are now heaving sigh of relief as a result of infrastructural intervention of Akeredolu. Reconstruction work is now ongoing on the abandoned 1.9 kilometre Adaba FM road at the outskirt of Akure, the state capital.
Fiwasaye-Airport street light project in Akure has since been completed, while Bridgadier Ademulegun road in Ondo town is at an advanced stage of completion. Aside these, Akeredolu has also promised to deliver a very modern and most befitting hospital in Akure. The 6 kilometer road covering Iyange, Ogunmolayan and Ijaro was also flagged off and completed by Akeredolu within a record time of one year.
Midas touch of Akeredolu is undoubtedly very evident in Ondo South Senatorial District of the state with numerous ongoing and completed road projects that are scattered in the axis. Most worthy of mention is the Ore flyover bridge, which is first of its kind in the state. The level of work on this project is now at an appreciable level. The Sabomi-Ajagba road is now 100% completed, while Police Station road in Ore is already nearing completion. It is heart also warming that Okitipupa-Ayeka-Irele road is almost 100% completed, while level of work on Okitipupa Bypass is at appreciable stage. Strategic importance of the Okitipupa/Igbokoda Bypass road is the expected drastic reduction in the perpetual traffic of Okitipupa when completed.
Akeredolu is without doubt a model of performance and fidelity that deserves more time in office to see to fruition his many visions and several ongoing novel infrastructural projects in the state. The governor is just human and may have possibly fallen short of high expectations in one or more areas of governance. However, he has undeniably shown himself as a star performer whose deliveries of democratic dividends can be attested to by all in Info state, including the blind.
Femi Adeniyi lives in Akure, the Ondo State Capital.
