- Knocks Attorney General over alleged plans to gag free speech
- Raises alarm over alleged N86b allocated to Finance Ministry
In a passionate address shared today on his Facebook page, Barrister Wale Odusola, a constitutional lawyer from Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State and a kinsman to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has released a new video—a follow-up to his previous criticism of the state government.
Within just 48 hours, this latest video addresses the 2025 budget of Ondo State, highlighting what he describes as the marginalisation of Ilaje and Ikale.
Starnews NG reports that he raises alarm over the significant allocation of 86 billion naira to the Ministry of Finance, which he claims comes at the expense of essential projects and infrastructure needed across the state.
In his first video, Odusola criticised Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration for its poor performance and neglect of his constituency.
His recent remarks come amid growing tensions as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also called for the dismissal of the Finance Commissioner over allegations of budget padding.
READ ALSO: Ondo PDP Calls For Dismissal of Finance Commissioner Over Budget Padding Allegations
Transcribed from Ilaje dialect to English by Starnews NG, Odusola’s remarks from the new video are as follows:
“I will be brief. I posted a video a few days ago that went viral. While some people were angry, others appreciated the video. I won’t speak in English but in my dialect because this is a family discussion, as we talk among ourselves.
“I am not opposing the state governor; he is my brother. However, I will continue to tell him the truth here on Facebook since I can’t reach him directly. Some of us will not let this opportunity go to waste.
“When a person is in power, they are often surrounded by people who genuinely love them and others who may mislead them.
“I hadn’t planned to make a second video, but I was angered by the decision of the Ondo State Attorney General to introduce a cyberstalking law. This means that if you express yourself too freely on Facebook, you could be arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned in Ondo State. I laughed when I first read the news. Why is Ondo State always associated with negative developments? It wasn’t like this before.
“Consider this: when local government autonomy was proposed, Ondo State was among the first to oppose it. The proposed direct allocation to local governments was similarly resisted by Ondo State. Now, they want to outlaw free speech—exactly the same tactic used at the federal level that angered Nigerians. They want to do the same in Ondo State. Let them try, but this is my brother’s government; our people will protect Aiyedatiwa. We cannot allow anyone to tarnish his name. We won’t accept it; that law will not work in Ondo State. Throughout Yoruba land, the people of Ondo and Ekiti are highly educated and excel at constructive criticism to address societal issues.
“I was part of Mimiko’s government, which faced criticism. When we complained to Mimiko, he would advise us to ignore the critics as long as we were doing the right thing. He listened and learned, which is why his government performed well. They shouldn’t try to pass a law that seeks to silence us—nobody can silence our voices. We will continue to speak the truth.
“We keep shouting about marginalisation, and we have the right to express that we are marginalised. Ilaje is being marginalised, and we are not lying; we are protected by the law.
“Now, regarding the Ondo State 2025 budget: sadly, under the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, they proposed 12 projects for the Owo Community worth three billion naira. In contrast, only one project for Ilaje community was proposed, valued at just 100 million naira. Even one million naira cannot complete the short road leading to my house. Ironically, that is the only project allocated to Ilaje under roads and bridges.
“In Ikale, three projects were approved for Okitipupa worth 390 million naira. What road can 390 million naira possibly construct in Ikale? And someone is telling us not to speak out? The person who prepared the budget clearly does not care for Ilaje.
“We have long maintained that Ilaje is marginalised in the Ondo State government. They keep telling us there’s no need to allocate funds for Ilaje in the state budget because of OSOPADEC. How fair is that? We are part of the state and local governments. We must benefit and be included in the Ondo State budget. Now that our own son is the governor, we hoped he would rectify these injustices because OSOPADEC was created due to the devastating effects of oil exploration in our land.
“How can an Ilaje man be the governor while such a budget marginalises us? The person responsible for this budget does not respect or fear the governor. On tourism, they allocated just 500 million naira for Ilaje, despite its potential as a tourist attraction because of Araromi Beach. We hope to modernize and develop this beach, believing that even people from Lagos would come to visit. But what can a mere 500 million naira do? It won’t even repair any roads in the waterlogged areas.
“I further read the budget and became more irritated to see that a meager 9 million naira was allocated for fire services. They clearly do not care about our well-being. This shows they are indifferent to whether our houses burn down. These are areas that urgently need radical change, as they directly benefit the masses. We all know that the fire service agency is practically defunct; we expect the government to revive it. How can a government allocate just 9 million naira for fire services? This is the same amount I could contribute as a private citizen. A whole government budgeting such a small amount for fire services indicates they have no interest in our safety.
“Surprisingly, they invested 180 million naira in the office of the head of service, neglecting more critical aspects of our lives. What does the head of service need with such funds? And they allocated 58 million naira to a moribund water corporation. When was the last time we received water from that corporation?
“The most shocking allocation is the 86 billion naira budgeted for the Ministry of Finance. What projects is the Ministry of Finance undertaking in the state?
“My dear people of Ilaje and Ikale, this year, 2025, is already looking bleak. Please, let’s come together to follow up with this government, especially concerning the state budget. Let’s be on the lookout for the 2026 budget as the budget of year 2025 is already gone. Otherwise, Ikale and Ilaje will remain stagnant with the obvious. Even OSOPADEC only received 10 billion naira, which is insufficient to execute any meaningful project against the ocean surge that has nearly wiped out the Aiyetoro community, let alone other projects.
“This budget does not favour Ilaje. I will keep speaking out to hold them accountable. There is only one project proposed for Ilaje in 2025, while the whole of Ikale—Okitipupa has just three projects valued at 390 million naira. In contrast, Owo has 12 projects worth over 3 billion naira, despite the developments achieved by the late Akeredolu and former governors of Ondo State.
“They want to transform Owo into a prosperous town while Ilaje, which produces crude oil and resources, remains stagnant. They simply want to use our land to generate funds while neglecting our development. Come to Ilaje and see how we are suffering.
“As for me, I will continue to raise my voice. Whoever wishes to enact a cyberstalking law, I don’t care. In Ondo and Ekiti, we know our rights because we are educated. No one can silence me; I will continue to speak the truth,” Odusola concluded.
Odusola’s fervent address reflects deep concerns over governance and representation, resonating with many who share his frustrations about the perceived neglect of Ilaje and Ikale in state policies and budgets.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
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