“So, I will honour the promise that I made to visit, to listen and to explore all possibilities including resettlement, in addition to adequate compensation. I will start this week.
“On Wednesday, I will visit Ologuneru. But, let me say this. The Circular Road is not just about connectivity; it is about equity, growth, and shared prosperity.
“I was forced to release from the archive a document that shows adverts in the Nigerian Tribune newspaper of November 24th, 2018, which showed that the state government at that time, acquired 500 metres on the right and 500 metres on the left.
“On November 24th, 2018, was I the governor then?
“But we are engaging with our people. I promised a previous set of protesters when they came under the bridge that we would integrate them. But they also should know that, for me, in about 18 months, I will be out of here. I have started our preparation for transition.
“In 2027, other players will be here. If some people think they should attack Seyi Makinde and politicise this thing, maybe the people will vote for them, I can tell you that Oyo State people are wiser.
“The next set of leaders, I can only prop them up, expose them, encourage them; Oyo State people will be the ultimate deciders.”
Governor Makinde added that apart from his administration shifting the focus of governance towards institutional legacy, ensuring that governance is based on systems and not personalities by creating many institutions, it is also imperative to have the support of the people towards achieving greater economic expansion, which is one of the advantages that the Circular Road will bring to the state.
“Our focus has been to shift towards institutional legacies, ensuring that governance is system-based, not personality-based. In Oyo State, we don’t want strong men, we want strong institutions, and we have created some of those; including OYACA and the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority. So, we’ll continue to strengthen our civil service, digitise government processes, and entrench transparency as the standard for leadership.
“Our legacy will not be measured by buildings alone but by the values that sustain progress long after we have left the stage.
“They are talking about the Circular Road and all of that. We need industries. Our children are coming out of school; we need commercial solid minerals exploration in Oyo State. Yeah, people talk about governors or states now getting billions in federal allocation. Did the increase come from being productive? Well, Oyo State is moving from a consumptive economy now to a productive one.
“So, if we are here in front of you, saying, look, let us do this together. It is because we know Oyo State can stand on its own and be productive and true to our name as the pacesetter, we can set the pace for others.
“We have not failed you in over six years and we will not fail you now. You have stood firm through difficult times. You have trusted the process and believed in the vision. You have demonstrated beyond what I can even fathom. We are not a government that repays good with bad. Together, we will continue to grow, innovate and prosper,” he added.