Despite the notoriety of the late General Sani Abacha’s military regime, the Onimeko of Imeko, Ogun State, Oba Benjamin Alabi Olanite, has singled out the former military ruler for praise, saying his administration was the only one that remembered and treated the border town well.
The monarch said successive administrations had neglected Imeko, recalling that the Abacha administration constructed the road linking the town with Abeokuta, which he said had since fallen into disrepair.
Oba Olanite who was speaking at a press conference organised as part of activities marking the 2026 Annual Imeko Day Festival, expressed his displeasure over what he described as the longstanding neglect of Imeko, noting that the town had often been treated as an underdog despite its strategic location as a border community.
He said “Some even called us the anus of the country,” adding humorously that “but even the anus ought to be cleaned after defecation.”
Oba Olanite said Imeko would not forget General Abacha because, in his words, his administration was “the only one that remembered us for good and treated us well.”
The press conference, held at the Imeko Conference Hall, was attended by prominent indigenes and leaders of the community, including Professor Anthony Asiwaju, Dr Dele Ogunsiji, Chief Mary Ogunjobi, a former Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs, and other eminent sons and daughters of Imeko.
Oba Olanite, however, commended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly the ongoing Sokoto-Badagry Circular Road project, which passes through Imeko.
He expressed optimism that the project would open up the border town and provide opportunities for greater economic and infrastructural development.
The Onimeko, supported by other community leaders, also raised concerns about the educational challenges confronting Imeko, while commending the Ogun State Government under Governor Dapo Abiodun for its recent intervention in addressing the shortage of teachers in schools across the area.
He recalled an education summit organised by the administration of former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, where the poor state of education in Imeko was highlighted as a serious concern.
According to him, the community was described at the summit as being “at the bottom of the ladder” in terms of educational development, with inadequate teaching personnel and facilities posing major challenges.
He said the situation had become so critical that some schools were being managed by only a handful of teachers, who were compelled to handle multiple responsibilities and subjects.
“Thank God for the present administration. When we were complaining about teachers, some schools had only two teachers on their staff. The principal, vice-principal and teachers for virtually all the subjects were being handled by just two people.
“It was when we began to speak out that, thank God, the Ogun State Government, under the leadership of Prince Dapo Abiodun, and the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, ensured that teachers were sent here,” he said.
Oba Olanite said the intervention demonstrated the importance of sustained government attention to the educational needs of border communities, but stressed that more still needed to be done to bridge the development gap.
He appealed to the Federal and Ogun State governments to intensify investment in education, healthcare, roads and other critical infrastructure in Imeko.
The monarch also linked the educational challenges facing the community to the broader development needs of border settlements, warning that the neglect of such areas could have wider implications for national development and security.
Citing Imeko’s historical significance as a frontier community, Oba Olanite also appealed to the Federal Government to establish a training school for either the Nigeria Customs Service or the Nigeria Immigration Service in the town.
He urged the Federal Government to take advantage of Imeko’s strategic location and historical connection with Nigeria’s frontier administration by establishing a specialised training institution there.
According to him, Imeko played an important role in Nigeria’s border administration dating back to the colonial era, making its geographical and historical position suitable for such an institution.
“I think government should consider establishing a training school for either the Customs Service or Immigration Service here.
“Everything about the frontier in Nigeria started here. That is why we are pursuing a school and institution like the National Institute for Border Studies, which is there to assist Nigeria,” he said.
The monarch added that the community was prepared to support the establishment of a Federal institution by making land and other necessary assistance available.
Also speaking, Professor Anthony Asiwaju appealed to governments at all levels to give greater attention to communities located along Nigeria’s international borders, particularly in the areas of education, security, economic development and infrastructure.
Asiwaju also called on the Border Communities Development Agency to increase its interventions in Imeko, saying residents were yet to sufficiently feel the impact of the agency established to promote development in border communities.
Speaking on the theme of the celebration, “Preserving Our Heritage: Fostering Love, Unity and an Empowered Future,” he said Imeko’s historical role in frontier administration should be reflected in the scale of government investment in the town.
The former House of Representatives member for Imeko/Yewa North Federal Constituency, Dr Dele Ogunsiji, commended Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola for sponsoring a bill seeking the establishment of a Federal College of Frontier and Border Studies in Imeko.
He appealed to the National Assembly and the Federal Government to support the initiative, expressing the hope that the proposed institution would strengthen education and capacity development in the border region.
Ogunsiji said education remained the foundation for sustainable development, stressing that the challenges confronting Imeko could not be adequately addressed without deliberate investment in human capital.
The Chairman of the Central Planning Committee of the Agbinrekoti Festival, Otunba Anthony Adewale Ajibode, said the festival was designed to bring together residents, traditional institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders to celebrate Imeko’s cultural heritage while discussing the development of the town.
Ajibode, who was represented by the Secretary of the Planning Committee, Dr Tunde Aninkan, said the annual celebration provided an opportunity not only to showcase Imeko’s rich cultural heritage but also to draw government attention to the developmental challenges confronting the border town.
He urged the Federal and Ogun State governments to sustain interventions in education while expanding investments in infrastructure, healthcare, security and economic opportunities for residents, as he insisted that greater development of Imeko would benefit not only its residents but also contribute to Nigeria’s broader security and economic interests.
