The Director-General of Opomulero Group/Movement, Hon. Olasupo Olakunori Michael, has fired back at Mr. Wale Omolegbon Odusola over his call for a 20–30-year development plan for Ilaje, saying the proposal is welcome, but pretending that the future of Ilaje starts with a social-media article is nothing but political posturing.

Hon. Olakunori said Mr. Omolegbon’s ideas on reclamation, industrialisation, maritime education, technical training and an industrial park are not bad ideas, but he should tell the people what he has done to advance those ideas beyond writing them on Facebook.

“Wale Omolegbon has written a beautiful wish list. But governance is not a Facebook post.

“It is easy to sit down, list universities, industrial parks, reclaimed land, hospitals, markets and maritime institutes and say government should do them. The harder question is: who is already creating the investment environment in which these things can become reality?

“That is where Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa comes in.

“We must stop talking as if Ondo State has been sleeping while everybody else is working. The Aiyedatiwa administration is deliberately positioning Ondo State for investment, industrialisation and economic expansion.”

The DG Opomulero challenged those advocating a long-term coastal development plan to also acknowledge the significance of the investment opportunities already being pursued in Ondo State.

“Let us be very clear: Ilaje does not need politicians to discover its coastline every election season. What Ilaje needs is serious leadership that can convert its geographical advantage into economic power.

“And that is why Governor Aiyedatiwa deserves credit, not deliberate silence.

“If the Dangote investment, deep-sea port ambitions, coastal infrastructure and other economic opportunities are to transform Ilaje, the people must be prepared to participate. I completely agree with that.

“But preparation requires government policy, investment, infrastructure and continuity. It does not happen because somebody writes a 20-year plan on social media.”

ENOUGH OF THE ‘GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO THIS’ POLITICS

Hon. Olakunori said it is becoming fashionable for some people to produce long lists of things government should do without acknowledging the difficult work involved in building the foundation for development.

“Every day, we hear: government should build this, government should establish that, government should reclaim land, government should create an industrial park.

“Fine.

“But government is not an ATM.

“Where is the funding coming from? What is the environmental assessment? What is the land-use plan? What is the investment framework? What is the private-sector participation model? What is the implementation timeline?

“These are the questions serious people ask.

“Governor Aiyedatiwa is running a government, not a WhatsApp group where everybody simply makes demands.”

IL AJE MUST NOT BECOME A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY FOR OUTSIDERS

The DG nevertheless agreed with one fundamental point raised by Omolegbon: Ilaje people must be the biggest beneficiaries of Ilaje’s economic future.

“We absolutely agree that an Ilaje young man should not watch an industrial revolution happen on his doorstep while people from Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and elsewhere take all the skilled jobs and contracts.

“Ilaje must produce engineers. It must produce marine technicians. It must produce welders, fabricators, logistics experts, port operators, entrepreneurs and industrial managers.

“Government, OSOPADEC, NDDC, private investors and the Federal Government must work together to make this happen.

“But again, let us stop pretending that the solution is simply to shout ‘20-year plan.’ A plan without political will, funding and execution is just another document gathering dust.”

RECLAMATION IS NOT A POLITICAL SLOGAN

On the proposal for massive land reclamation, Hon. Olakunori said the idea must be approached scientifically rather than politically.

“Land reclamation is not something you announce because you want headlines. It requires environmental studies, engineering designs, financing and long-term maintenance.

“Let those proposing it tell us the technical framework.

“Let them tell us where.

“Let them tell us how.

“Let them tell us who will fund it.

“And let them tell us how they intend to protect the coastal ecosystem while creating new economic spaces.

“That is the conversation we should be having.”

AIYEDATIWA SHOULD NOT BE WRITTEN OUT OF IL AJE’S FUTURE

The Opomulero DG said the most unacceptable part of the narrative is any attempt to discuss Ondo’s emerging coastal economy without recognising the administration currently responsible for driving the state’s development agenda.

“Let nobody make the mistake of writing Governor Aiyedatiwa out of the story.

“The Governor is not going to apologise for governing.

“Those who genuinely want development should work with the government, make constructive demands and offer workable solutions rather than selectively praise opportunities while pretending that the government of the day does not exist.

“Aiyedatiwa is not sitting down waiting for Ilaje to develop by accident. He is building the foundation upon which the next generation can build.”

Hon. Olakunori concluded by saying that the people of Ilaje deserve more than political theories.

“Ilaje needs action, not noise.

“It needs investment, not empty promises.

“It needs skills, industries, infrastructure and opportunities.

“And above all, it needs continuity.

“So, Wale Omolegbon, your 20–30-year vision is welcome. But let us move beyond writing it.

“Bring the blueprint. Bring the technical details. Bring the implementation strategy. Bring the investors.

“Then let us sit down with government and build it.

“Because Ilaje’s future will not be built by Facebook intellectualism. It will be built by serious leadership, serious investment and serious execution.

“And under Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, Ondo State has a government that is ready to work.”

— Hon. Olasupo Olakunori Michael
Director-General, Opomulero Group/Movement