Adelusi who makes his home in Oke-Ayedun in Ikole Local Government Area of the state, retired as a university librarian. He is also a publisher that has churned out different educational books for secondary school students over the years.

A sweetly courteous and modest man, Adelusi was well aware that he was lucky. He had caught not only the right mood but the right time also. Speaking like a little boy lapping up ice cream, he noted that the newly constructed Oke –Ayedun – Ipao – Oke Ako to Irele road would afford him an opportunity to probably buy a new car. He knows better. As a young man in the 60s, it was a very tortuous task to embark on a trip from one end of the town to another. The roads were in a terrible state of disrepair.
As he grew, nothing changed. In fact, it became worse. In a nutshell, he believed the road was jinxed and would never be repaired. He would hear none of it, that bad leadership caused such a reprehensible act of sentencing his people to a life of squalour as the bad roads had shut them in.

His testimony is revealing. Hear him: "In the 60s you would not hear anybody say that our roads were not tarred because of ineptitude on the part of the government.

"Ignorance was prevalent. What we heard was that the witches and wizards were the obstacle. That, they did not want the trees to be felled. That, they did not want the hills to be drilled and all sorts.

"There was a story that when a construction company attempted to bring in their earth equipment, people of the town started singing, " won gbe kile kile de Ipao, Iyo okurin ninu re" (they have brought earth mover to Ipao, there is a man in the equipment). That has become an anthem in Ipao today", he said.

Not done, Adelusi noted that most of the contractors that had attempted to construct the roads in the past believed the myth that there was indeed more to it than meets the eye.

"Yes, we have had them chicken out in the past. C. L. Akingbade construction company did it and was only able to get around Ipao and that was the end of it. These same witches and wizards were presumed to be the cause.

"Then, Oni and sons came in the 80s and it couldn’t go anywhere also. We had a lot of them coming in and going out. Of course, we knew they had been paid and we also knew that successive governments had awarded and re-awarded the contract of the roads", he said.

Indeed, it did not matter again to Adelusi and his ilk as he believed that any politician who made the construction of the road his theme during electioneering campaign would most probably be viewed as a mischievous person whose desire is to make the adjoining towns in the local government a cash cow.

"They raped, bruised and left us naked and we had promised that, never again, would any politician come mouthing construction of roads in a bid to gain our votes. In fact, we said it was better for the candidates to be silent on the issued he said.

At first, it seemed as though Adelusi’s skepticism was justified. Successive governments had included the construction of the "jinxed" roads in its budget every year. So, it is only natural that the people would have lost hope about the roads. Today, it is a different story. Life just got better for the people of Ikole Local Government. A new road, the Oke Ayedun – Ipao – Oke –Ako – Irele road, a 31-kilometre stretch that runs all the way to the Kogi State boundary was commissioned by the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Segun Oni, an engineer, last week.

The occasion was grand. The traditional rulers of all the towns that make up Ikole Local Government came with a full compliment of their people to the commissioning.

At the Oke–Ayedun end of the road, it was a colourful gathering. The people of the towns were gaily dressed. New clothes were sewn and memorabilias were distributed.

The reception was unprecedented; the governor himself was awe-struck. He noted in his welcome speech that the commissioning of the Oke-Ayedun to Irele road was an attestation of his commitment to developing the state.
"We have come here to demonstrate the fact that, with a will, there will always be a way. Somebody told me that all the governors who contested election even from the days of the old Ondo State , used the road as an electioneering slogan.

"I am back to commission the roads. It is now beyond a electoral promise, it is now a promise delivered", he said. Oni noted that it was only natural for people to be cynical of politician’s intention to improve their lot. He said it was despicable to make promises before election, only to renege on such promises when elected.

"If the people are cynical, it is justified. Look at the Ado to Ifaki Road , it is impassable. The road was a major route to the north 50 years ago. The same Ekiti people that were used to good roads suddenly discovered that the roads had gone very bad".

He stated that his government would spare no expense to ensure that the road network in the state is superb. After the ceremony that lasted for four hours, the governor, with his cabinet members, took a ride in a coaster bus on the new road. He was also joined by the traditional rulers who powered their new cars, given by the government, on the new road.

The next port of call was Omuo - Ekiti, where the township road was also commissioned. Again, the governor spoke of his desire to ensure that investments come to the state in torrents, adding that the new roads would open a floodgate of economic prosperity to the state.

Oni paid glowing tributes to the contractors, saying they remained steadfast even with the stringent conditions that heralded the award of the contracts.
"We came here (Omuo) for the flagging off some months ago and we said we would come back to commission the road. I am sure some people must have expressed cynicism that we could do it in good time. But today, things are done differently. We have credible contractors and they have delivered" he said.

The same week also, amidst pomp and ceremony, the governor commissioned the 10 - kilometre Ita – Ido – Ido Ile road. This particular road shares a similar story with the Oke – Ayedun – Irele road. A pathetic picture of how bad the road was, was painted by a prominent indigene of the town, Pro. (Mrs) Olufunke Egunjobi, who gave the vote of thanks during the commissioning of the road by Governor Oni.

In an emotion – laden voice, the respected professor who was a one time acting Vice –Chancellor of the University of Ado – Ekiti (UNAD) told the story of how the legendary lady Deborah Jibowu was almost shot at by a hunter when she returned from her sojourn abroad to the rustic and sleepy town of Ido – Ile in the middle of the night.

"For the people of my age who were born in Ido – Ile, today is the greatest of all days for us. "I want to tell a story that was told by late Lady Deborah Jibowu who today have become an icon in the country. She was also born in this scenic town.

"She told us that, after her studies abroad, she had to return to her ancestral abode. She had to leave the cosmopolitan lifestyle and a place where everything works.

"She boarded the airplane, got to Nigeria and embarked on a tortuous trip to Ido – Ile. A very lengthy journey, she eventually got to Ido – Ile in the middle of the night and her father, the Kabiyesi of blessed memory, asked her ‘little girl, where are you coming from at this hour of the night?
"Of course, she told her father that the state of the road was responsible for the risky trip.

"In the morning, a hunter regaled the community with how he had wanted to kill Lady Jibowu in place of an animal he thought she was. "He (hunter) said the object he saw was glowing even in the dark; remember Lady Jibowu was very fair in complexion, and was wondering if it were some goddess or strange object from heaven", she said.

Egunjobi, who was also a Commissioner for Education during the Military Administration of Col. Mike Torrey in the old Ondo State, showered encomium on Engr. Segun Oni, saying he had put an end to a sore part of the town’s history. "I am telling this story to show the trauma our people went through due to the state of our roads. Several governments had awarded the contract for the construction of the roads. But, the road, until now, had been in the same state since 1920. "If Governor Oni did not want to do it, nobody would have held him to it and that would have been the end of it. We would have kept praying that some Messiah would come to our aid someday and today, it pleases God to ensure that it is done during the tenure of Oni.

The Olojido of Ido – Ile, Oba Aderemi Obaleye, could not agree more with the eminent Professor. He betrayed his emotions even as he tried to fight back tears, saying: "You don’t know how happy I am If you had lived in this town for 30 years, you will know why I should shed tears of joy.

"That, this is happening in my time! Please go and read your history books, you will understand why this town should be grateful to Governor Segun Oni" , he said.
• Igandan is a Special Assistant (Media) to the Ekiti state Governor.