Stewardship: Otunba Benji Oloye Gives Account To Oba-Ile Estate Residents Association, Lauds Exco Achievements

By Dupson Collins, 27th September, 2025

The Chairman of the Oba-ile Estate Residents Association, Otunba Benji Oloye has given account of his 10 years stewardship to the landlord and residents of the Estate, describing his tenure as rewarding and fulfilling.

In his valedictory address at the 5th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Saturday 27th September at the First Gate Voting Unit of the Estate, Otunba thanked the Executive members of the Association, the Chairmen of Zones, Community elders and esteemed residents of the Estate for their cooperation and support throughout his tenure.

He stated that, the outgoing executive came on board on the 29th day of May, 2015 through an election that was keenly contested, noting that their ten years in the saddle have clearly shown that, the people made the right choice of leadership.

His words: ” When we came on board, the Executive members swung into action immediately with series of meetings with stakeholders in the affairs of the Association at both the Zonal and Central Levels.The Executive Committee at the onset also came up with a vision and mission statement.To the Glory of God Almighty, the Executive Committee has been able to take the Estate to the next level, over the years with the different achievements”.

He highlighted some of the major achievements recorded under his leadership to include strengthening of security within the Estate through effective and constant collaboration with the police (both within the Estate and the Area Command at Oba-Ile), the Civil Defence Corps and the Amotekun Corps and military.

” As part of the reinforcing of our security architecture within the Estate, the Executive Committee donated a Tricycle to the Housing Estate Police Station for patrol of the Estate. This tricycle was one of the two donated to the Estate by Senator Tayo Alasoadura”.

He added that, for effective service delivering from the security agencies, the Exco ensured regular release of funds to the Estate police for the fuelling and maintenance of the Tricycle and other security logistics.

Otunba Benji added that, the Executive embarked on the reconstruction and renovation of the First gate security house initially earmarked for accommodating the Civil Defence Corps.

“The Exco expended the total sum of #527,500 on the project until it was delayed owing to paucity of funds. The residents of Zone A (Peter Fapohunda Road) graciously took over the project to completion with its own contribution from members.”.

“We are happy to report that the first gate Security House has since become operational serving as the base of security men employed by the Zone A Residents Association”.

Also achieved during his tenure was the sealing off some of the identified 14 “illegal routes”, mostly at the back corridors of our Estate, charging the incoming Excos to ensure sealing off the remaining illegal routes as part of improving the security of the Estate.

He also commended the effort of the outgoing Exco in strengthening its activities at the Zonal level through the reactivation of several moribund Zones which has led to 14 active Zones within the Estate.

” On infrastructural development, the outgoing Exco, in constant collaboration with the Ondo State Government and the Ondo State Development and Property Corporation, have been able to improve our road network as Exco ensures that certain kilometers of road is included in their yearly budgets for the Estate”.

” Major roads within the Estate had been asphalted while interior roads had also started enjoying Govt/OSDPC’s attention. The culvert at the Egberi axis was given a major reconstruction by the ODSG through the unrelenting efforts of the outgoing Exco. The reconstruction of the culvert had since eradicated the yearly flooding experienced in the Estate especially around the Egberi axis”.

“The outgoing Exco regularly collaborated with the Ondo State Ministry of Environment to ensure that the water paths within the Estate are cleared to ensure a smooth thoroughfare for water especially at the peak of the raining season. It is our hope that the incoming Exco will also focus its attention on this to make every part of our Estate flood free”.

Otunba Benji stated further that, the outgoing Exco was able to achieve the naming of some major roads in honour of well deserving Elders, in the Community, improved relationship with the Estate landlord. (OSDPC) which culminated in the unprecedented donation of the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (500,000) by OSDPC to the Association to further improve infrastructure within our Estate.

Also achieved was the creation of more polling units within the Estate by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) thereby, making the turnout of voters for elections to be easy and comfortable in the Estate.

He charged the incoming Excos to follow up on the creation of a ward for the Estate which is in the pipeline, saying the creation of ward will confer the advantage of producing councillors and other political appointees amongst the Estate residents.

The Outgoing Chairman said the Exco worked on well meaning individuals and government bodies in the “Light Up the Estate Scheme”, to provide solar lamps and CCTV at strategic locations within the Estate, noting that, it is an ongoing initiative aimed at improving the security within the Estate 24/7 most especially at night.

He stated also that, the outgoing Exco has also been be able to curtail the menace of heavy duty trucks on some of our major roads especially at the First and NTA gates. The Second gate that gives access to the heavy duty trucks is being beefed up with the construction of an ultra modern security house fully undertaken by the outgoing Exco in collaboration with zones and well meaning residents

” The scheduled tolling of heavy duty trucks entering the Estate has since commenced on 24/9/2025 under the management of a Committee headed by Dr. Emmanuel Adewole. The aim of the outgoing Exco is to test run the process for some months before handing over the management of the tolling to a consultant who must make an upfront payment of negotiated fees to the Association to cover the agreed period i.e. monthly, quarterly, biannually or annually.Finance:”.

Otunba Benji specifically said the outgoing Exco placed so much emphasis on prudency, transparentcy and accountability, saying his leadership had a very rigid accounting process before funds can be disbursed or accessed in the Association’s Bank Account as laid down by the financial Secretary.

While appealing to the members of the Association to cooperate with the new incoming Excos, he also urge the new leadership to live above board, continue from where they stop and be accountable in all their dealings.