Osun: Urban renewal going awry 

Ayo Aluko-Olokun

Three years into his tenure and with properties worth billions of Naira already demolished, the Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has suddenly realised the need to start consulting with the people on its urban renewal Programme. But that appears to be coming a bit too late in the day as the programme is already going awry.
Historically speaking, urban renewal programme has never always been a success story. It has failed in many climes of the World and would therefore not be surprising if the on-going effort in Osun State suffers the same fate. That won’t be surprising. In fact, urban renewal failed across United States of America in the 20th century for a myriad of reasons. In Osun State, the programme had a shaky start when like a bolt from the blues; bulldozers came to mow down buildings in the heart of Osogbo the capital. These naturally led to wailings and curses. There have also been pockets of protests and resistance here and there.
Nevertheless, the government has proceeded with the forceful demolitions of peoples’ priceless properties; taking away people’s means of livelihood and terminating several businesses abruptly. These also led to the dislocations of homes and caused financial strains on the people while disrupting their daily living.
Curiously, the people are yet to be shown the legislation of the House of Assembly where the law to embark on this urban renewal was passed. The government has failed to induce the participation of the citizens of the State in this enterprise. Therefore, the people on whom the urban renewal programme is being foisted upon have not been convinced to buy into the ideas of the government. Then, people are beginning to imagine the motivations of the Osun State government for this urban renewal programme.
The hidden truth which Aregbesola has not told the citizens of Osun State is that the urban renewal programme may be a strategy to take from the poor (using the name and force of government) and give to the rich – the private sector. Through it, perhaps the wealthier individuals may be persuaded to come and live in those places. Their rational could be two-fold; improvement in tax revenue to the State and or general increase in government’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile.  The two objectives are no doubt plausible.
But the argument against is that a better people-oriented objective could be achieved with careful planning. In other climes, such demolitions often yielded grounds to new housing estates, stadia or theatres. Such examples abound in Lagos under Governor Fashola. The irony is that the massive demolition in Osun State is yielding grounds to the planting of flowers and erection of barricades. As congested as Lagos is, Governor Fashola did not demolish a single building for the purpose of planting flowers and yet Lagos is looking more beautiful than before with sprawls and shanties giving way to housing estates and other public utilities.
In the old Oyo State, it was the urban renewal programme of Late Uncle Bola Ige that led to the development of Ajoda new town, New Gbagi market, Aleshinloye market and a host of other initiatives without embarking on massive demolitions of peoples’ property. Unfortunately, it is another Ige, Muyiwa who is the executor of the Osun urban renewal programme that has brought in its wake tears, sorrow, agony and the gnashing of teeth.
This is the crux of the matter and where the Osun state government seems to have got its priority wrong. Demolition of valuable properties for the planting of flowers cannot be the immediate and most pressing need of the people of Osun today. Not only that, it does not bring any economic benefits to the State. If the grounds are being yielded to the construction of high-rises, big factories and businesses; they can create employment. But what job creation opportunities are there in planting our sidewalks with flowers and grasses?
In Osun the cost of renting accommodation has skyrocketed yet, the government has not in three years deemed it fit to invest in the housing sector. Socio-economic transformation can only take place when the government takes a comprehensive look at all the factors of development, not by dissipating all energies on road contracts and beautification of sidewalks through the planting of flowers.
Interestingly, the urban renewal programme is being sponsored largely by the UN-HABITAT and like in any foreign sponsored programmes; the templates cannot be adopted wholesale in Nigeria. Doing that could be likened to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its conditions which any developing nation cannot swallow wholesale without suffering social upheavals. Putting up a building is a lifetime achievement. Watching the building being demolished to grow flower beds could bring devastating and painful emotions.
That approach to urban renewal brings sorrow and falls in a long list of programmes that are ‘good on paper’ but a far cry from meeting the immediate and desirable needs of the people of Osun State. Another programme in that category is the construction of Airport in Osun State. What for? Who benefits? The answer goes back to our earlier postulation; a strategy to encourage and indeed make the environment conducive for the wealthier individuals, the nouveau rich to the detriment of the poor. This contradicts sharply the professed ideology of the ACN/APC which claims to be a Party for the masses because in all of these policies the masses suffer.
As things stand today, the process of the Osun urban renewal programme appears to have done more harm than good to the Osun people from different perspectives. The economic benefits of these ill-prepared programmes are also yet to be seen in the lives of the people. And, it is yet to be perceived how they will improve Osun State’s competitiveness amongst the South West states either now or in the medium or long term period.