Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Wednesday defended the ongoing upgrade of infrastructure in Ile-Ife, insisting that the ancient town deserves “first-class roads and bridges” to unlock economic and tourism value.

Adeleke spoke in Ile-Ife while inspecting the Lagere flyover and other road projects, accusing the opposition of masterminding the withholding of local government funds “to cripple” the projects.

He vowed the administration would not bow to what he called “a deliberate plot to trap Osun in under-development”.

He said his government has “broken the jinx of abandoned projects” in Ile-Ife and other towns, listing completed and ongoing roads in Ife, Modakeke, Ifetedo, Yakooyo, Akinlalu, Edunabon and other locations.

The governor maintained that Ile-Ife is pivotal to Osun’s creative-economy blueprint as the “cultural capital of the Yoruba nation” capable of attracting multi-billion-dollar tourism inflows if given the right infrastructure.

Adeleke also warned contractors and Works Ministry officials against delays, threatening termination of “any non-performing contract”.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Governor’s Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, reinforced the governor’s position, saying:

“The governor is determined to finish all ongoing major projects despite unjust seizure of about N100 billion of Osun funds. The opposition wants to use funding sabotage to stop the Ife flyover, Ilesa dualisation, Iwo dualisation, Ila Orangun dualisation and the Lameco bridge, but the Adeleke government will not surrender Osun’s development.”

The statement added that monthly implementation reports would now be made public to ensure transparency and that contractors “must show visible presence or lose their jobs.”

Adeleke, who was received by PDP leaders in Ife, later proceeded to the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on a courtesy visit.