By Wale Azeez
The recent partial demolition of DATKEM Limited located along Ibadan Road, Ijebu-Ode, by the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has further opened the can of worms trailing the conception of structure by its owner.
Ordinarily, one would have expected a former Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (aka OGD) who is the husband of the owner, Yeye Olufunke, to remain silent and do the needful to stave off further disgrace and embarrassment in the face of the imbroglio but he and his e-rats have chosen to tread the path of dishonour while pontificating and sabre-ranting over lawlessness.
OGD, with his calibre, a sitting Senator who is currently representing Ogun East Senatorial District, went overboard yesterday when he took to the social media space and flagrantly flaunted a copy of DATKEM ENTERPRISES, not DATKEM LIMITED as required by law to own a property of such a high-rise building in question. Why does OGD relish in deceit? This is a debasement on the senator’s integrity, and an outright deliberate attempt to befuddle the psyches of the good people of Ogun State. By extension, it’s a pure evocation of dramatic irony.
His e-rats also joined in the fray of displaying the folly of their paymaster, especially one Steve Oliyide who wore a cheap pride wrapped under superfluity of nothingness.
It’s absurd to tender an ENTERPRISES certificate to mean same as LIMITED LIABILITY company certificate when the law clearly stipulates the roles and requirements of each entity, except OGD wants to tell us that there are two laws (for the rich and another for the poor) in the land.
This current position of OGD behoves on, and also demands that the security agencies should beam their searchlight on his various business concerns and let the law takes its course.
Ogun State prides itself model and it has produced great icons and pioneers, and for anybody to now wanting to stir the hornet’s nest can’t be taken serious and his antics are a great disservice to himself.
To discernible minds, it has become imperative to interrogate between saving people’s lives and the impunity of one man who sees himself above the law of the land.
However, the law is no respecter of anybody. The officials of the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development carried out their legitimate duty last Sunday when they wielded the big hammer over contraventions with partial demolition of the structure, without political colouration anybody might have read into the imbroglio, but strictly professional service. It was gathered from the record that there’s no conclusion in the process of the application for approval of the property.
According to press release issued by the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Engr Olayiwola Abimbola Abiodun, recently, there are stage certifications in every building but the developer chose to ignore due process and elected to prove obstinacy and impunity despite overtures by the Ministry officials to call them to order. Also, professionals from the Ministry who are expected to supervise the ongoing construction weren’t carried along but the developer chose to prove himself above the law.
“Going through the ledger book, from the beginning of the process the application wasn’t signed as collected”.
Provisions of the laws are glaring in the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning and Development (OGURPD) Law 2022 (Sections 49, 50, 73 (2)(3)(6), Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Regulation 2022 (Sections 19 (1) (3), 15 (1)(8) 11 (1)(1b) 11 (2), 6(1)b(iv) and Ogun State Building Production Management Regulation 2022 (8(1).
It is common knowledge that the property was registered in 2009 when OGD was in saddle as Governor but work didn’t commence until shortly after the exit of his successor (Amosun), his sworn enemy who declared him persona-non-grata in office in 2019
The question people, especially sympathizers should have asked is, why Senator Ibikunle Amosun who was OGD successor is not witch-hunted as it’s been belief in some quarters by some gullible fellows with warped minds? Amosun who sees himself as an arch rival of his successor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and he hasn’t run foul of the law.
Be that as it may, for sanity to reign, OGD and his boys should eschew mischiefs and bitterness to prevent dragging his name into the mud.
Azeez wrote from Sabo, Sagamu
