Ogun, UPN bicker over removal of HID Awolowo’s billboard

The Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and Ogun State Government yesterday disagreed over the removal of ‎a giant memorial billboard of the late matriarch of the Chief Awolowo dynasty, Chief (Mrs) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo.

The billboard, located along Sagamu-Benin expressway, was removed by suspected agents of the State government last week, sparking protest by UPN members.

The UPN deputy governorship candidate in ‎the April 11 election, Alhaja Aminat Olatunbosun, who spoke on behalf of the party in Abeokuta yesterday, accused Governor Ibikunle Amosun of masterminding the removal of the billboard, an allegation the Governor had stoutly denied.

Olatunbosun said that all the required charges were paid to the Ogun State Signage and Advertising Agency (OGSAA) before the billboard was erected in honour of the late Mrs Awolowo who died on September 19 and therefore wondered the why the billboard was removed.

She alleged that shortly after the installation of the billboard, operatives of OGSAA, backed by armed policemen, removed the billboard “for no just reason.”

But the State government has denied the allegation. The Senior Special Assistant‎ to the Governor on Media, Mr Adejuwon Soyinka, said Amosun was not in any way connected with the billboard removal.

Soyinka explained that the OGSAA officials removed it as a result of the health and environmental hazards constituted by the billboard.
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He said owners of the billboard had been contacted and instructed to ensure safety of the people around the area, noting that it would be restored as soon as those environmental issues are properly taken care of.

The governor’s aide also advised residents of the state to always ensure compliance with the extant laws when embarking on any project.

Corroborating Soyinka’s assertion, the General Manager of OGSAA, Mr Akin Bandele, said the removal of the billboard was not politically motivated.