Ondo community accuse Aiyedatiwa of neglect, demands urgent development

The Ilaje Parapo Forum has accused Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, of neglecting the Ilaje people and their coastal communities, call...

The Ilaje Parapo Forum has accused Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, of neglecting the Ilaje people and their coastal communities, calling for immediate and concrete steps to develop the region.

The Forum made the demand in a statement on Friday, signed by its Publicity Secretary, Edward Akingboye.

In the statement, the Forum accused the governor of ignoring the lamentations of the Ilaje people, noting that governance was about “Intentional service delivery, planning, and accountability.”

When contacted for comments, the Chief Press Secretary to the Ondo State Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, denied knowledge of the group or its supposed Publicity Secretary, noting that Aiyedatiwa was not in charge of the NDDC.

“There is no group with that name in Ilaje, and no person with that name either. The Governor is not in charge of NDDC, and I don’t know which community you are talking about. Ilaje is a local government, not a community,” he said via WhatsApp chat.

The Ilaje Parapo Forum statement partly read, “Let us be clear: Luck may enthrone a leader, but only vision, wisdom, and performance can sustain governance. Governance is not about flamboyant appearances or ceremonial presence; it is about intentional service delivery, planning, and accountability.

“It grieves us to say that our Governor, our own son, is failing to hear the lamentation of his people in Ilaje. Communities like Ayetoro and entire Gbenevaare being swallowed by the sea with chilling indifference. The ocean no longer knocks. It breaks through, uninvited. Livelihoods vanish. Homes crumble. Generations are displaced.

“Yet, Ilaje, a region whose oil sustains national coffers, lacks a single functional hospital, lacks well-equipped schools, and lacks shoreline protection. Is this what we deserve? Let the world know: this is not abandonment by oversight; it is calculated neglect.”

The Forum also lamented the state of the local education authority office in the community, while also accusing development agencies, including the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, of neglect.

“Even the Ilaje Education Authority office in Igbokoda, rather than being a hub of intellectual coordination, now resembles a pond flooded and forsaken. The so-called Mega School stands in mockery; its roof sheets curled to the sky like palms begging the heavens. How can we explain this to our children?

“And what of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)? Just two weeks ago, the Commission celebrated its 25th anniversary. A parade of pomp and speeches reached the Governor’s table, but not a single tangible legacy was acknowledged in Ilaje. Not a road. It’s not a shoreline defence. Not a hospital. The MD left without reprimand. Mr. Governor clapped. Yet, the people of Ilaje continue to weep.

“Who will tell our governor that strategic governance is not driven by birthday cakes or party jollof rice, but by documented visions, inclusive planning, and measurable outcomes? Who will remind him that the real work of OSOPADEC is not to organise feasts but to champion recovery plans for people on the brink of environmental and economic extinction?’

“Let it be known: Ilaje is bleeding. Our children are losing access to education. Our youths are migrating in desperation. Our farmlands are now saline fields. And yet, the machinery of the state is mute”, the statement added.

The group therefore demanded that the governor provides a clear blueprint for the community’s development, an audit of NDDC and OSOPADEC going back 10 years, and immediate emergency response to the environmental devastation of the coastline, among others, describing the demands as an opportunity for the Governor to rise.

“We demand from Mr. Governor: A clear development blueprint for Ilaje land—covering infrastructure, education, health, and climate adaptation; An audit of NDDC and OSOPADEC’s interventions in Ilaje LGA in the past 10 years; Immediate emergency response to the environmental devastation of our coastline; Stakeholder engagement, including town hall meetings in Ilaje, to enable participatory governance.

“Governor Ayedatiwa, this is your moment to rise. You are the son of the soil. The son of Ilaje. But bloodlines are not enough. Legacy is not inherited—it is built. You stand on the shoulders of ancestors who gave everything for this land. Do not be remembered for standing idle while it sinks. This is not hate. This is heritage speaking.

“This is not a shout of rebellion. It is a cry for responsibility. This is not bitterness. It is a burden. We speak from the heart of the creeks—and we will not be silent again,” the statement concluded.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).