The Oyo State Government has debunked that it intended to convert Agodi Gardens to a proposed Baywood Estate, a settlement for the rich, saying rather it intends to upgrade the garden to an international standard that would compete with other botanical gardens across the globe.
The Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Williams Akin Funmilayo, said that converting the garden to the proposed housing estate is baseless and untrue.
According to him, the state government values reforestation and afforestation, and as such, would not convert Agodi Gardens into a residential Estate, stressing that the large expanse of land to be converted to Baywood Estate does not include the Agodi Botanical Gardens.
Therefore, Akin-Funmilayo re-echoed that the governor did not give any order to his office for the conversion of Agodi Gardens to a housing estate.
He recalled that the Agodi Botanical Gardens was created in 1967, but was destroyed by the Ogunpa flood disaster in 1980 It was renovated in 2012 and reopened in 2014 as a tourist attraction in the ancient Ibadan.
He said the garden is a lasting legacy, which the present administration would not joke with. He added that the Seyi Makinde-led administration would not leave any stone unturned in making Oyo State a habitable place for all.
The Commissioner implored the general public to disregard any rumour on the sales of Agodi Gardens, assuring that the proposed Baywood Estate by the government would not encroach into Agodi Gardens.
He pointed out, “The reason why the government intends to convert the forest to Housing Estate is to make the place more secure, as the place is a death zone that serves as a harbour to many criminals where many innocent lives have been lost. Anybody who is in doubt about what the Government wants to do around that corridor should come to the Ministry for further clarification. We, therefore, call on the public to disregard any information related to the conversion of Agodi Botanical Gardens to an estate, as the Government is determined to protect public places in the best interest of its citizens and residents of the State”.
