Abiodun pledges more development for Remoland

.as Odemo seeks ₦600m for palace reconstruction, highlights security gains, attracts investors to Isara By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of Remoland, pledging sustained investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education and economic growth as his tenure gradually winds down.

Abiodun also assured the people of Isara-Remo that his administration was working towards establishing a legacy hospital in the community to improve access to quality healthcare and strengthen the delivery of medical services in the area. The governor gave the assurances on Saturday at the 57th Afotamodi Day Festival held in Isara-Remo, Ogun State.

The celebration, themed “Preserving Our Heritage, Restoring Our Glory,” also featured a fundraising initiative for the reconstruction of the palace of the Odemo of Isara-Remo, Oba Peter Oluwole Ogunbayo, with an estimated target of N600 million. Speaking through the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya, Abiodun described the annual festival as more than a cultural gathering, noting that its 57-year history had established it as an enduring symbol of the identity, traditions and collective aspirations of the Isara people.

“For 57 years, this festival has remained a powerful symbol of the history, values, traditions and collective identity of the Isara people,” he said. The governor noted that the festival had continued to provide a platform for preserving the community’s cultural heritage, strengthening family bonds, promoting religious harmony and fostering unity among residents.

He commended the Afotamodi Planning Committee, traditional institutions and other stakeholders for initiating the palace reconstruction project, urging Isara indigenes at home and abroad to support its successful completion. According to him, the palace represents far more than a physical structure, as it embodies the authority of the traditional institution, cultural continuity and the collective dignity of the community.

“A palace is not merely a physical structure; it is an enduring symbol of traditional authority, cultural continuity, communal pride and the dignity of the institution it represents,” Abiodun stated. On his administration’s development agenda, the governor assured the people that efforts to bridge infrastructure gaps and improve transportation networks across rural and urban communities would be sustained.

He disclosed that plans were being advanced for a legacy hospital in Isara-Remo, describing the proposed facility as a strategic investment in the health and wellbeing of the people. He said the hospital, when completed, would improve access to medical services, create employment opportunities and serve as a lasting social investment in the community.

Abiodun added that his administration was also strengthening primary healthcare delivery, expanding educational opportunities and investing in skills acquisition, youth empowerment and agricultural development. He said the government remained committed to improving the learning environment, supporting access to quality education and enhancing food security through interventions targeted at farmers and other participants in the agricultural value chain.

The governor maintained that the true measure of development was not merely the number of infrastructure projects delivered, but the extent to which such interventions improved people’s living standards and expanded their economic opportunities. He further pledged to leave behind a state with stronger institutions, improved infrastructure, expanded social services, greater investment opportunities and a more vibrant economy.

Abiodun urged the incoming administration to sustain ongoing development programmes, warning against allowing political succession to undermine the state’s progress. “Development must be a continuous process, and the progress of Ogun State must never be sacrificed on the altar of political succession,” he said. In his address, the Odemo of Isara-Remo, Oba Peter Oluwole Ogunbayo, described the proposed reconstruction of the palace as a historic responsibility requiring the collective commitment of the entire community.

The monarch said the N600 million fundraising target should not be viewed merely as a financial obligation but as a collective investment in preserving the town’s history and restoring the dignity of its traditional institution. “For generations, the Odemo’s Palace has symbolised our heritage. It is therefore our responsibility to ensure that future generations inherit a befitting palace that reflects the dignity of our traditional institution and the rich history of Isara-Remo,” he said.

He appealed to community associations, corporate organisations, business leaders and Isara indigenes in the diaspora to contribute generously towards the project. Oba Ogunbayo also used the occasion to highlight measures taken by his administration to strengthen s