The Osun State government is currently expanding Odo-Ori Road to Post Office near Oja-Ale Junction in Iwo, Iwo Local Government, into a dual carriageway with pedestrian paths on both sides.

The construction has significantly advanced and even though it has not been inaugurated, it is already open to road users. However, its sidewalks were poorly done, FIJ can report.

On June 12, 2025, Governor Ademola Adeleke flagged off the construction that had been awarded 23 days earlier to Showie-Tee Global Services Ltd. by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.

The project was received with massive excitement by residents of the community as they viewed it as the first of its kind. The road was previously a single carriageway until the government decided to expand it into a dual carriageway, starting from Odo-Ori market junction down to Post Office.

According to official information, the ongoing construction is the first phase of the government’s plan. The second phase will drive the expansion forward to Adeeke Junction, terminating into the Iwo-Ibadan Road near Oja Oba.

Taking a walk on the entire stretch of the first phase on May 28, FIJ observed that the sidewalks, made of concrete slabs, on both sides of the road had already collapsed, with their surfaces peeling off on many spots.

From Odo-Ori Market to Iwo Local Government Secretariat to Idi-Omo down to Omosan’s Compound at Oja-Ale, FIJ spotted several damaged portions on the pedestrian ways.

The damage included sinking slabs, cracked and peeled off surfaces. Such damage occurs for various reasons.

According to engineering websites, a sinking slab is usually caused by poor or no soil compaction. When the soil that forms the foundation of a slab is not diligently compacted, it could sink and create a void underneath, making the superstructure to cave in.

Beyond the sinking, it appeared that the sidewalks were generally not done professionally with durability and quality in mind. The plastered surfaces of the slabs were already peeling off on many levels as if they had been used for years.

The sidewalks were meant to make road walks comfortable and safe for pedestrians and add aesthetics to the public infrastructure. But one has to be cautious when walking on these pavements to avoid a sudden ground collapse.

“I have seen some parts that do not look okay. It’s as if the contractor wants to maximise his profits by doing a shoddy job and it may not last,” Abdulrahaman Kayode, a resident of the town, told FIJ.

“I doubt the government is monitoring the execution. But if they do, they really need to increase the frequency of the monitoring to ensure a quality job is delivered to us at the end of the day.

“This is the first time such a big road is being done in Iwo, but what is the value of a road that was badly done and does not serve the public for long? As the saying goes, whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.”

Additional observations showed some surfaces bearing new plastering that looked fresh or noticeably different, suggesting they were fixed after having previously collapsed or damaged.

Kolapo Alimi, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, failed to respond to a request for comment sent on Thursday. His phone rang out twice and he did not respond to a text sent to him by FIJ.

MISMATCH IN COMPANY’S SCOPE

Registered on November 4, 2021, Showie-Tee Global Services Ltd. is owned by Showunmi Toyeeb Adekunle, Popoola Latifah Yetunde and Showunmi Rosheedah Ajoke. FIJ found no evidence that the company had any official website and it was not present on any mapping sites or social media platforms.

Adekunle holds 70% shares in the company while Yetunde and Ajoke control 15% each.

According to its status report downloaded from the Corporate Affairs Commission on Thursday, the nature of the company’s business was bereft of anything directly relating to engineering or construction.

The document showed that the company’s business was “interior/exterior decoration services, manufacturing, buying and selling of building materials, generator contractor and general merchandise”.

Public disclosure of its business nature suggests it was originally set out as a supplier of goods. Yet the government handed it a strictly civil engineering project.

The company has been enjoying generous contractual patronage with hefty cost implications from the current administration.

On October 27, 2025, it was awarded the construction of Osun State International Airport’s runway, apron and taxiway, terminal building control tower and fire station at the cost of N99,561,470,046.55.

The same works ministry gave out the rehabilitation of Esa-Odo Dam in Esa-Odo Community for N2,762,174,316 in July of 2025 to the “decoration” entity.

In April 2025, the company secured another contract to dualise the phase 2 of the Adeleke University High School-Air Force Area Road. This was worth N9,614,838,149.

It also handled the renovation of some health centres in the state for N591,727,650 in 2024.

On Thursday, FIJ asked Adekunle, the largest shareholder in the company, to comment on why the pedestrian ways were substandard and offer clarification on the mismatch in his company’s nature of business.

But he did not respond specifically to those issues. Instead, he said what FIJ “saw are work processes” without explaining what he meant.

“It is worthy for you to note that the work is ongoing and it is not yet delivered, what you saw are work processes,” said Adekunle. “If you have any complaints, kindly write to the ministry of works which will then call our attention [to it], if need be.”

FIJ has reported how the government failed to pay compensation to people whose property were demolished for the project. Many property owners told FIJ that they were promised timely compensation but one year later, they were yet to receive the money. Some victims who had been paid complained that the amounts they received extremely fell far below the value of their property. (FIJ, excluding headline)

•PHOTO: Collage of images of damaged portions opposite AUD Primary School and Aladie. Photo Credit: Sodeeq Atanda/FIJ.