Recently, Sunday Babalola, a former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, urged Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to bolster investment in education, agriculture, and industrial development throughout the state.

He emphasized that these investments should be equitably distributed across Kwara's three senatorial districts to ensure inclusive growth and fair resource allocation.

Babalola further encouraged the administration to focus on the prudent allocation of resources, prioritizing programmes that directly enhance citizens' lives.

He stated, "Some areas are progressing more than others. I urge my governor to direct the additional funds from subsidy removal and increased Federation Account allocations towards impactful projects that uplift the people's lives."

"It shouldn't be used for grandiose projects. They shouldn't be projects done to make a name alone.

"The name you will leave is not based on white elephant projects that were built. The name you will leave will be based on the impact you made on education, agriculture, and industrial development."

He dismissed suggestions that Ilorin, the state capital, had attained significant modernisation, going by the construction of overhead bridges and the installation of the tallest flagpole in West Africa.

He said, "The governor has already spent six years; he should use the remaining two years of his second tenure to invest more in education, agriculture, and industrial development.

"Some people say that Ilorin has been so modernised with good roads and other aesthetics — that makes me laugh. Three overhead bridges have been built. I don't think they are modern. If you call that modernisation, it's okay. But I think it's more than that.

"We have the highest flagpole in West Africa. If you call that modernisation, it's okay. But I think we ought to do more than that.

We must remember that Kwara State covers a large expanse. It belongs to other people, other ethnic groups aside from Ilorin, so everybody should feel the impact of the government."

Referring to the recent increase in federal allocation to states, Babalola advised against lopsided infrastructure development and warned the government against white elephants, symbolic projects that do not benefit the populace.

He said, "If development is seen only in the state capital, it's not good enough. We need to modernise everywhere. You shouldn't leave your state capital and walk into places where there is abject poverty and no roads.

"So, I want to advise him today that he should do everything he can to make sure that the roads and other things he is doing in Kwara State capital are extended to all the local communities of the state.

"There should be inclusive development and governance in Kwara State."