Residents of Unity Estate in the Halleluyah Area of Osogbo, Osun State, staged a protest last Monday over the dilapidated state of their road, which they described as one of the worst in the state. The protesters alleged that the contractor, Moshula Nigeria Limited, abandoned the road project after collecting a substantial sum from the state government.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the residents called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to intervene and ensure the completion of the long-abandoned two-kilometre road project. They also accused the contractor of boasting about close ties to the governor as a shield against accountability.
The community chairman, Mr. Sheu Taofeek, criticized the prolonged delays and substandard work, noting that the project, awarded under former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, has dragged on for over three years. He lamented that while four other projects awarded at the same time had been completed, their own community had been left in disrepair.
“The contractor started poorly and eventually stopped working after Governor Adeleke took office,” Taofeek said. “He has been boasting about being related to the governor and has ignored several appeals from the community to return to the site.”
Taofeek further alleged that the CEO of Moshula Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ademola Omidiran, failed to provide a clear reason for abandoning the project. “He never claimed he wasn’t paid. Each time we approached him, he made promises to return but never did,” he said.
However, when contacted, Omidiran denied abandoning the project, stating that his company temporarily moved equipment off-site during the Eid-el-Adha holiday for security reasons. “We are back on site and have resumed work,” he told The Guardian.
He explained that the project began under the previous administration and that his company had completed 33 percent of the work with only 30 percent mobilisation funds. “The current government released additional funds in 2024, and we executed work beyond the amount received. We recently received another disbursement about six weeks ago and have remained active on site since then,” Omidiran said.
During a visit to the area on Thursday, The Guardian observed a grader working on a section of the road. Despite this, some residents expressed skepticism, attributing the renewed activity to public pressure from the protest.
Mr. Olumide Afolabi, a resident, said: “It was only after the protest that the contractor returned. We just want this road completed—we’ve suffered enough.”
