Traditional authorities, political leaders and community stakeholders in Oba-Oke, Osun State, have called for increased investment, improved infrastructure and sustained peace as critical pillars for the town’s development.
The calls were made during the 27th Oba-Oke Day celebration, which attracted government officials, political figures, community leaders and sons and daughters of the town from within and outside the state.
In his address, the Oloba of Oba-Oke, Oba Adam Bamidele Iyiola Yusuf Esutola II, urged residents to maintain peaceful relations with neighbouring communities and cautioned youths against thuggery and other social vices capable of undermining development. The monarch encouraged young people to pursue education and vocational skills that would enable them to be self-reliant.
The Chairman of the Oba-Oke Development Union (ODU), TPL Yakubu Oladipupo Abdul-Ganiyu, highlighted the town’s agricultural strength and expanding fishing activities, noting that Oba-Oke produces cocoa, kolanut, rice, maize, cassava, yam and plantain. He added that despite these advantages, inadequate infrastructure continues to limit economic growth.
Abdul-Ganiyu appealed to private investors and Oba-Oke indigenes in the diaspora to take advantage of the town’s peaceful environment, fertile land and strategic location, while also calling on government authorities to provide enabling infrastructure to support investment.
Speaking at the event, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun election, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), expressed concern over the state of infrastructure in Oba-Oke, describing the condition of access roads, schools and public facilities as unsatisfactory.
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Oyebamiji said the continued neglect of the town, particularly the underutilisation of the Owala Dam, represents a missed opportunity for job creation and economic expansion. He stated that the dam has the potential to support tourism, agriculture and other commercial activities if properly developed.
He assured residents that, if elected governor in 2026, his administration would prioritise the rehabilitation of roads, improvement of schools and the full development of the Owala Dam, drawing on his experience as former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Also speaking, the Chief Launcher of the event, Rt. Hon. Busayo Oluwole Oke, a member of the House of Representatives, stressed the importance of effective collaboration between local and state governments to ensure that public funds are directed toward priority development projects.
The Chief Host, Ambassador Issah Adedotun Niniola, thanked guests and donors for their support, noting that community-driven projects remain essential to Oba-Oke’s progress. He called for sustained unity among residents and stakeholders to advance the town’s development agenda.
The celebration ended with a collective appeal to Oba-Oke indigenes in the diaspora to return home with ideas, capital and partnerships, reinforcing the message that sustainable development will require unity between government, traditional institutions, and the people.