Kwara monarch urges AbdulRazaq to focus on rural devt

The Alangwa of Agbeyangi in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Alhaji Aliyu Baba Oladaride, has appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to extend his administration’s urban renewal initiatives to rural communities, stressing that balanced development cannot be achieved without deliberate investment in the hinterlands. The monarch made the appeal on Sunday during the celebration of his 35 years on the throne, the unveiling of his autobiography titled ‘Faith, Leadership and Legacy: My Journey Through Agbeyangi History’, conferment of chieftaincy titles and posthumous recognition of distinguished sons and daughters of Agbeyangi. Arewa PUNCH reports that the event attracted traditional rulers, academics, religious leaders, government officials and community stakeholders from across Kwara State and beyond. Speaking at the ceremony, Oladaride commended the AbdulRazaq administration for its infrastructural transformation across parts of the state but urged the government to prioritise rural communities that continue to face developmental challenges. “Development is a shared responsibility between the people and leadership. Therefore, I wish to respectfully appeal to the Kwara State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to kindly consider the reconstruction of the Panada-Agbeyangi-Yarun Road to accelerate socio-economic development within this axis,” the monarch said. He noted that improved road infrastructure would boost economic activities, improve access to essential services and enhance the living conditions of residents in the area. “Anyone who has witnessed the urban renewal projects of His Excellency across Kwara State will naturally desire similar transformation in the rural communities,” Oladaride said. “We believe that rural development is essential to balanced growth, and we remain hopeful that Agbeyangi will also benefit from this progressive vision.” The 106-year-old monarch observed that while Agbeyangi had witnessed notable progress over the years, infrastructure deficits and other developmental gaps remained obstacles to the community’s growth. “Despite these achievements, the pace of development has gradually slowed. Infrastructure gaps remain, and many opportunities are still waiting to be fully realised,” he said. The royal father used the occasion to call on indigenes of the community to revive the spirit of communal cooperation and self-help that once distinguished the community among neighbouring settlements. “In our early years, development in Agbeyangi was built on communal