By Benjamin Dairo Oyinloye
The ORISA BRIDGE is the bridge linking the good people of Oro Ago Kingdom in Ifelodun Local Government to Olla Town in Isin Local Government, through Oko Town to Omu Aran in Irepodun Local Government of Kwara State, for the transportational route of the indigenous people of Oro Ago community to the reach of the community interaction and commerce.
In 1948, the Colonial Government gave a gift of a narrow river passage called bridge or better said, a culvert to the people of Oro Ago Kingdom. This gift of the said culvert was what gave Oro Ago the history of educational visibility enjoined in the 60s and 70s, which thereafter provided the platform for many of today’s political and economic veteran from within and outside to be what fate and destiny has made of them.
In the 50’s, 60’s and through 70’s, Oro Ago Kingdom was one of the educational hubs of the first 12 state’s creation, the old Kwara State of the General Yakubu Gowon governments of 1966 but the stability for progressive takes off, soon got stoked on the ground of accessibility difficulies as a result of the seasonal flooding of Orisa river among many other transportational challenges.
On October 14th, 2019, the newly sworn in Senator Ashiru Oyelola Yisa and his team was denied transportational access to the team intended visitation to Owu Fall in Owa Kajola, Ile Iree ward of Ifelodun Local Government as a result of Orisa seasonal flood among many unknown instances of barriers.
In 2007 – 2015, the people of Ifelodun Local Government had the rarest opportunity of producing, the chief executive of the state, a very bright and a Ifelodun heir, Governor Ahmed Fatah but failed woefully to construct the bridge among many instances of failed governance of the then government of People’s Democratic Party in Kwara State.
From 1948 till 2023, this narrow Culvert remained the bridge that linked Oro Ago kingdom to other town, for 75 years, the people of Oro Ago Kingdom had to contend with this narrow culvert of “Orisa Bridge” until the people’s Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, CON kickstarted the project in 2022 and has now completed it with ground style in December 2023 and finally asphalt in 18th, February, 2024.
The people’s Governor by this feat has further demonstrated that the All-Progressive Party is a responsive, sensitive and pro infrastructural base party. Indeed, there is no better time than this hour to appreciate the man whose signature and efforts, rekindle the hope of many generations of Oro Ago Kingdom.
Thank you Mallam Abdulrasaq Abdulraham and the All Progressive Government of Governor Abdulraham Abdulrasaq.
Benjamin Dairo Oyinloye write from Oro Ago.