For years, Oyo state was administered without a Government House, the reason for which Gov Seyi Makinde is determined to reconstruct the dilapidated one as a legacy he intends to leave behind, just as he winds down on his tenure. BAYO AGBOOLA reports.
The over 70 year-old Agodi Government House in Ibadan located in a hilly area locally known as Oke Oloyinbo used to be a thing of pride to people since the Colonial Masters through the Western Region and old Western states comprising the present day Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states. As of today, it is an open disgrace.
Among others, the well- designed Agodi Government House with its serene environment has served as the official residence of governors both military and civilians.
Without mincing words, its present state has become a shadow of itself as many of the buildings within and across the complex have become permanent abode for reptiles of all sorts. Besides, the entire place is overgrown with bushes and spirogyra dotted the walls. In fact, it is an example of a dilapidated building.
The once-bubbling edifice that used to be a pride of the entire Yoruba race housing the governor and his family, a Presidential Lodge, Chapel, Mosque, Lawn tennis Court, clinic and other chalets, as well as other beautiful edifices in the banquet halls now lie unused with peeling paint and water-stained ceilings.
The aging roofs sinks under years of wear and tear including the official residence of the deputy governor located beside that of the governor. All of them are in very terrible state begging for attention of which past few administrations failed to give attention for reasons best known to them.
Agodi Government House before turning to an abandoned edifice has housed the likes of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi; late Col Adekunle Fajuyi, late General Adeyinka Adebayo, Brigadier Gen Oluwole Rotimi, Brigadier Gen David Jemibewon, Col Paul Tarfa, late Chief Bola Ige, late Dr Omololu Olunloyo, Major-General Oladayo Popoola; late Brigadier-General Adetunji Olurin, the late Brigadier-General Sasaenia Oresanya and in most recent times late Chief Lamidi Adesina, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, late Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
It is important to mention at this point that the incumbent governor, Engr Seyi Makinde who is already running his second term has never moved into the complex since 2019 when he noticed the dilapidated state of the structures. Makinde and his deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal are till date living in their private homes and had been operating from there since sworn in.
Plan of refurbishment
Succour is however coming the way of abandoned and what used to be one of the historic pride and Government House in Nigeria with the recent moves by Gov Makinde’s administration’s timely consideration of restoring the lost glory of the Government House.
In the quest of restoring the lost glory of this historic edifice through complete revitalisation through replacing the leaked and aged roofs, reforming the walls, fixing of drainages, power systems and modernising spaces such as the chapels, banquet halls and conference rooms, the governor recently approved a total sum of over N63 billion for its overhauling.
Offering of explanation
The state commissioner for information, Prince Dotun Oyelade made this known in a statement on Wednesday, June 18. He disclosed that the State Executive Council has approved the sum of ₦63,479, 858,000 for the overhauling of the structures as he emphasised that the current state and ambience of the abandoned edifice is now an embarrassment.
He said it had become an unbefitting facility for the past six years, the reason for which Gov Makinde and his deputy have been living in their personal houses instead of the official Government House, stressing that the banquet hall at the Government House would be completed before the 50th anniversary of the state next year as part of Gov Makinde administration’s legacy for the next administration to inherit and use.
Defending the proposed amount for the project, Prince Oyelade insisted that it is overhauling the entire edifice that the state government was proposing and not renovation as he stressed that, “The proposed spending of ₦63.4 billion is for overhauling and not renovation of the over 70 year-old Government House at Agodi in Ibadan. That section of the media that touted the impression that the Government House was going to be renovated is either ignorant or mischievous. Not once in the 21 paragraph press release did we use the word ‘renovation,’ whereas we emphasised total overhauling and reconstruction of the old Government House.
“The Seyi Makinde administration is the least that can be accused of not getting its priorities right and for six years, the government has nurtured the finance of the state efficiently such that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has increased by over 300% within this period from about ₦1.5 billion to ₦7.8 billion as at the end of May 2025.”
Prince Oyelade maintained that in the reconstruction and overhauling of the Government House itself, 21 structures would be affected and that the decrepit Presidential Lodge and Banquet Hall which would be ready for the state’s 50th anniversary celebration next year February would be totally reconstructed while the governor and deputy governor’s main residences would be overhauled while the structural, architectural, mechanical and electrical works would be comprehensively carried out. He said that also affected are several quarters and chalets for visitors, senior and junior staff, whose duties would necessitate dwelling in the Government House. He said the mosque, church, external botanical garden, roadworks, landscaping, fencing and furniture are also affected in the reconstruction.
“It is instructive that the new Government House would also accommodate a helipad to allow VIP visitors including the president, fellow governors, important dignitaries and the host governor himself to commute seamlessly to and from their destinations in helicopters.”
Makinde in defence of project
Gov Makinde while speaking at the state House of Assembly on the proposed overhauling of the structure on June 20 said the approved sum perceived to be on the high side would cover the reconstruction of buildings, roads and other ancillary facilities within the Government House and adjoining chalets.
He noted that the exchange rate movement has caused high inflation, saying, “Yesterday, I trended for the wrong reason because people were saying we want to spend ₦63 billion to renovate the Government House. My answer to them is just to point our attention to one thing and I want you to listen to me attentively.
“Before I came into office, the previous administration took a loan of $200m from the World Bank for Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP). As of the time I came in on May 29, 2019, that dollar-denominated loan was in the book of Oyo state government as N70bn, because a dollar to a naira was around N350. We were paying about N700 million every month to service the loan, but we finished the IUFMP. Although before I came in, $100m had been spent and $50m committed. This administration was supposed to spend N$50m to complete the projects but we did not spend the amount. We honoured all the commitments made by previous administration and returned $18m to the World Bank which we didn’t spend. That was how we have managed the project prudently in Oyo state, but that is not even where I am going.
“My point is that in 2019 in the Oyo state books, N70bn was what the state owed. Fast-forward to today, the IUFMP project is completed without adding one inch of drainage to the project, but simply by the exchange rate movement, Oyo state today owes N320bn. This is because the N70bn calculated as N350 to one dollar in 2019 is not the same amount, but it is now calculated at about N1,540 to the dollar.That is our reality. We have now moved from paying N700m on the IUFMP loan when I came in, to now paying N3bn to service that loan monthly now.”
Despite the criticism from the opposition against giving the state a befitting Government House, the truth remains that there are many chalets and structures that are badly dilapidated and out of fashion within the over 70 year-old edifice that deserves modern touch to render it in tune with the present times as all eyes are now on the government towards delivering the much- anticipated befitting Government House for the Pace Setters State.