THE CONTROVERSIAL OGUN 262-PAGE LAND PANEL REPORT AND THE UNMENTIONED GOOD PART. Written by Saint-Olawale Jimoh

   Early this year, I accompanied an old friend who lives in the United Kingdom to Abeokuta to get some documents. Personally, I don't feel comfortable plying Lagos-Benin expressway because of cases of accident that occurred along the axis in recent times. So, that Tuesday morning when my friend suggested I accompanied him, as we sat in his place in Sagamu, I was a bit reluctant to respond but considering the fact that we would only be driving through the expressway briefly and as soon as we pass the Sagamu-interchange, my fear would be over. I agreed and he chose to drive us.
     I was again surprised when after few meters from the interchange, my friend stopped the car. He came out and was staring at the magnificient Nestle plant across the road and the beautiful roundout at the centre of the three roads. He told me he couldn't believe the area could be that transformed. I smiled and pointed out there are still other companies all around asides Nestle.

    As we continued with our journey, I pondered on the activities of the past and present government of Ogun State and the change each of them brought to the state.
Then I remembered the controversial 262-Page Report of Ogun State Land Panel set up by the present government of Ogun State to probe into Otunba Gbenga Daniel-led administration's land policy between 2003-2011. The report, as far as I know, is a sad picture of how we politicise almost everything in this state. As a matter of fact, the summary of the entire report was that land was made too cheap for investors during Otunba Gbenga Daniel's administration.

     The area which is now home to Nestle plant was no more than a robbers' den where motorists were waylaid prior to 2003. I still recall a story of a senior colleague at work, whose entire family members were almost killed in same area by robbers who attacked their vehicle and found no money on any of them in 2001. As I learnt, the same Nestle plant in Sagamu was originally meant to be built in one of the neighbouring countries but the land incentives offerred by the then government of Ogun State convinced the then chairman of the company, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye to support the sitting of the plant in Sagamu. This singular pioneering effort of Nestle Plc encouraged other companies to come and settle in that area.

   As for whether Otunba Gbenga Daniel's land policy of making land too cheap for corporations and investors is wrong or right, I leave the general public to determine that. All I know is, the transformation that began from that interchange has spread and extended into Sagamu town thereby turning it into another industrial city. Asides Nestle plant, Day Waterman School is around the area while the large portion of land adjacent to Nestle has already been acquired by Guiness Nigeria Plc. Willwich Roof and Eterna are on the same axis with Nestle. Coleman Cable&Wires is across the expressway near old Sagamu tollgate. As at this morning, more than 7 new companies have moved into Sagamu which includes Maths Metals, DH, SMC near Lafarge estate, Ceplast and others. It's historically important to add that Sparkwest Steel Company and Wescom Wireless all moved into the town after Otunba Gbenga Daniel-led government's land incentives policy took off.

      In civilized climes, nothing stops state governments from creating industrial zones, wooing investors with tax holidays and other incentives in order to enhance additional job creation opportunities. In the United Kingdom for instance, there is a Welsh Development Agency set up in 1967, tasked with rescuing the ailing Welsh economy by encouraging business development and investment, clearing derelict land and encouraging growth of local businesses. State governments in Nigeria can learn from this.

   Sometimes, we need to present issues as clear as they are so posterity will not judge us and we must as well endeavour not to throw the baby away with the bathwater. In my humble opinion, I see Otunba Gbenga Daniel-led government's land policy as a big blessing to Ogun State and Sagamu in particular. More than 5000 people are working in the companies that sprang up following the land incentives he offerred investors during his days in office as Executive Governor of Ogun State. Footprints they say are forever and what a leader does for himself dies with him but the good he does to his people outlives him.


SAINT-OLAWALE JIMOH,
Observers' Reflections International
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