The decision by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to relocate the ongoing M.K.O. Abiola Airport project from its original location in Ido-Osun to his hometown of Ede has sparked a wave of protests.
On Tuesday, indignant residents of Ido-Osun, led by traditional chiefs and community leaders, gathered at the Oludo’s palace in the Egbedore Local Government Area to voice their displeasure over the controversial move.
The announcement was made by the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, during the celebrations marking Adeleke’s second anniversary in office. He revealed that a new airport project would be inaugurated in the Olodan area of Ede by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo.
This revelation quickly turned into a flashpoint, as it directly contradicted the promises Adeleke had made earlier about completing the airport in Ido-Osun. The relocation has since ignited anger and disappointment among the people of Ido-Osun, who feel betrayed by their governor.
In protest, residents of Ido-Osun, including the Eesa of Ido-Osun, Chief Oyewale Basiru, and former lawmaker Abiodun Awolola, rallied at the Oludo’s palace, holding placards with slogans such as, “Is Adeleke governor of Ede or Osun State?”, “We say no to favouritism,” and “Give us back our airport.” Other signs read, “Relocating the airport to your hometown is nepotistic” and “This is not what you promised us.”
Speaking on behalf of the community, Awolola condemned Adeleke’s decision to shift the airport project, which had already seen over N20 billion invested by the previous administration.
“This is nepotism and favouritism that goes against the democratic oath Adeleke took,” Awolola declared during the protest. “He promised the late king of Ido-Osun that the airport would be completed in our community, but now he has broken that promise.”
Awolola further criticized Kolapo Alimi, who served as Commissioner for Special Duties under both Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Governor Adeleke, for supporting the relocation despite knowing the extensive work and investments already made on the project.
The relocation is being viewed by many in Ido-Osun as a political move to benefit the governor’s hometown, and the protesters did not hold back in their criticism. They accused Adeleke of favoring Ede over other parts of Osun State, an act they described as “nepotistic.”
The protesters also took issue with the fact that part of the land initially set aside for the airport had already been used for the construction of Adeleke University, which they argued further evidenced the governor’s family’s encroachment on the property.
“Our people are tired of empty promises. We are asking for justice,” one protester said, adding that the relocation was an affront to the people of Ido-Osun.
“We demand that the federal government intervenes and stops this decision,” Awolola said, calling on President Bola Tinubu to prevent the relocation of the airport to Ede. He urged the President to instruct his ministers to avoid attending any ceremonies related to the new airport project.
The protestors also made it clear that they were not opposed to the idea of having an airport in Ede, but they felt that the decision to move the project was unjust and unfair to Ido-Osun.
“We do not mind having airports in Ede or anywhere else, but we are against the deliberate undermining of our community. This airport belongs to Ido-Osun, and we will not sit back and watch it taken away,” another protestor said.
Efforts to reach the state government for a response were unsuccessful. Calls to Dr. Basiru Salam, the Commissioner for Special Duties, went unanswered, leaving many in the community frustrated and without any official explanation for the decision.
This protest comes at a time when tensions over local development projects are rising across Nigeria, with communities increasingly vocal in their demands for fair treatment and equal access to resources.
The relocation of the airport project highlights the deep divisions that can exist within state politics, especially when it comes to distribution of resources and development benefits. For the people of Ido-Osun, the relocation is not just a loss of an important infrastructure project—it is a symbol of broken promises and the perceived disregard for the needs of their community.
