Segun Atanda/
For thousands of families spread across Ibadan’s expanding outskirts, the 110-kilometre Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road, conceived as a flagship infrastructure project has become a source of dread rather than development. From Idigbaro to Abudu and Sonso in Ido Local Government Area, property owners say uncertainty, fresh survey markings and compensation disputes have plunged entire communities into anxiety.
In a detailed petition addressed to Gov. Seyi Makinde and the Oyo State Government, affected residents accuse officials of actions that contradict the governor’s own public assurances to scale down the project’s footprint in densely populated areas.
Residents acknowledge what they describe as the governor’s “humane concessions,” including a pledge to reduce the right-of-way (ROW) to about 150 metres or less in built-up communities and to halt further demolitions pending review. Yet they say ongoing markings of homes and farmlands, allegedly by agents linked to the Oyo State New Towns and Cities Development Authority, have reignited fears of mass displacement.
“These markings have paralysed our lives,” the petition states. “People can’t sell, build, farm, or even plan, because tomorrow their homes might be gone.”
Compensation That Doesn’t Compensate
At the heart of the dispute is money, and timing. Property owners allege that compensation paid so far is grossly inadequate and painfully slow. One example cited: a demolished home allegedly valued at over ₦40 million reportedly attracted a payment of just ₦456,000. With inflation soaring, residents say such sums cannot rebuild lives or livelihoods.
They claim that only ₦600–₦800 million has been disbursed so far, reaching just a fraction of those affected along the circular corridor.
Farmers speak of losing ancestral land; traders lament disrupted access; families worry about imminent homelessness.
Corridor Controversy and ‘Land Grabbing’ Fears
Beyond compensation, the width of the land acquisition has become explosive. The petition argues that even the existing 150-metre ROW is excessive in dense urban zones, and rejects any talk of extending the corridor by an additional 425 metres on each side.
Such demands, residents contend, far exceed federal highway standards of roughly 45–60 metres total ROW and fuel perceptions of land grabbing for private or commercial interests. They urge strict compliance with the Land Use Act and global best practices, including equity standards promoted by UN-Habitat.
Perhaps the most sobering allegations concern health and humanitarian impacts. The petition links prolonged stress and uncertainty to medical crises among vulnerable residents, including elderly and bedridden individuals. It also reports deaths within communities that families attribute to trauma associated with threatened demolitions.
“Every new marking reopens old wounds,” the document says. “People are literally falling sick from fear.”
What the Residents Want
The demands are sweeping but specific:
• A universal 60-metre ROW (30 metres on each side) across the project.
• Full, upfront compensation at current market value, reviewed by independent valuers.
• Relocation support, including serviced government land for displaced families.
• Immediate humanitarian assistance for affected households.
• A total halt to markings beyond agreed limits, with assurances that no private land will be diverted to contractors or developers.
• Public release of the Ibadan Master Plan to guide development.
• Gazetting of the governor’s promises to make them legally binding.
• Clear definition of OYNTCDA’s role, through town halls and media engagement.
The signatories, operating under the banner of Ibadan Circular Road Properties and Land Owners, say they remain open to dialogue through the Circular Road Committee. But they warn that trust is wearing thin.
For Governor Makinde, widely praised for infrastructure strides in Oyo State, the circular road has become a critical test: can development proceed without dispossessing the very people it is meant to serve?
As bulldozers idle and red markings linger on walls, residents say the choice is stark—build a people-first legacy, or let a signature project be remembered for pain instead of progress.
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This is really disturbing for us in Ibadan o. This Ibadan circular road issue is causing Ibadan residents serious heartaches. Non of us is exempted from the tough decision by Oyo state government to deprive the citizens of their abodes and properties. If one is not directly affected by the right of way, the fear of the corridor is there to nurse. Some of us are now giving shelter to the displaced and homeless families and friends. Worse still are those on sick beds and the dead.