kwara monarch seeks complete rehabilitation of Nigeria-Benin Republic highway

By Stephen Oladele

Traditional ruler of Okuta in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, Alhaji Abubakar Idris, has lauded the federal government over the commencement of works on the rehabilitation of the major road that links the area with the rest of the country.

The federal road constructed over 20 years ago has become unmortorable owing to the damage it has suffered  

It was constructed by the Kwara State government under the administration of Bukola Saraki on behalf of the federal government with an arrangement that the state government is reimbursed later by the federal government.  

The road stretches from Saki in Oyo State to  Chikanda in the local government area at the boundary between Nigeria and Benin Republic 

The traditional ruler who doubles as the permanent chairman of the  Baruten Emirate Council however urged the government to ensure that rehabilitation of the road as commenced at the Saki end of the highway does not suffer abandonment

The Emir spoke in an interview with newsmen at this year edition of the annual Ganni festival celebrated by his community

He said the poor state of the road had not only made travelling very stressful for them but had also affected economic development of the area.

The monarch who noted that the area is regarded as the food basket of Kwara State said the deplorable state of the road had not made the state to maximally enjoy impact of the agricultural richness of the area

“Because of the condition of the road we spent time far longer than what we ought to spend before reaching our destinations. Now, from here to Saki you will spend three hours and from here to Ilorin you will have to spend six hours no matter how good is your vehicle.

The traditional ruler while speaking on the upcoming 2027 general election hailed emergence of a person from the local government area as the governorship candidate of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state 

The APC governorship candidate, Salihu Yakubu Danladi who is also the incumbent Speaker of the state House of Assembly hails from Gwanara community in the area 

The APC with the choice of Danladi has picked its candidate from the Kwara North Senatorial District where the local government area falls.

The Emir said the APC had done justice by considering the north senatorial district for its choice of governorship candidate because the governorship seat ought to be the turn of the district since it was the only district that has not produced governor since 1999.

He said that since 1999 the north district had always gone the direction the central district went at the elections and urged that the central district should support the north district in the 2027 election.

He also appealed to politicians in the north district to put aside personal interests and support the governorship candidate from the district.

On the Ganni festival, the traditional ruler described the festival as a cultural heritage bequeathed to them by their ancestors and which strengthens unity among the people of the community 

He said Ganni festival is celebratated among the Baruba race both in Nigeria and Benin Republic and that it is an event which promotes unity and cooperation among the people. 

The 2026 edition of the festival in the community was celebrated with pomp and pageantry and it was graced with dignitaries that included the APC governorship candidate, Danladi, the Chairman of Baruten Local Government, Alhaji Isa Jubril, the Emir of Ilesha- Baruba, Alhaji Halidu Abubakar and the commanding officer,244 Recce Battalion Asabari barracks saki, Col, Godwin Akuve.