A heavy downpour on Wednesday has exposed the poor work done by contractors at the newly remodeled and commissioned Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan , the capital of Oyo State.
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| An aerial view of the newly remodeled and commissioned Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan. | Source: fij.ng |
As per videos obtained by Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) on Wednesday, a leaking roof through which water crept in, flooded some of the stadium’s stands, preventing spectators from occupying them.
Several water patches were also observed on the football pitch during a special match marking the reopening of the 30-year-old stadium after a N5.58billion remodeling.
“The job was a terrible one,” a spectator who recorded the video told FIJ. “No cap. It’s seriously leaking everywhere.”
During a tour of the stadium on Tuesday, Ademola Ige, the Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Culture and Tourism, said it would make Oyo State a “tourists’ designation”.
“This is part of the efforts of Governor Seyi Makinde to make Oyo State a tourists’ destination,” Ige said.
“So this sports tourism project is one of other areas of tourism locations in eco-tourism, natural tourism and food tourism that are well noted around the world.
This stadium is situated within the heart of the capital of the state and can be easily located.”
In August 2020, Makinde said his government had signed a contractual agreement with Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Limited for the remodeling of the stadium at a cost of over N5.580 billion.
Neither the state government nor the contractors of the remodeled stadium has responded to the report, as at press time.
02-09-2021: UPDATE: OYO Government Responds
…says unveiled main bowl is first phase of project
The Government of Oyo State, on Thursday, explained reasons the Lekan Salami Stadium Complex during the unveiling of its main bowl on Wednesday was waterlogged after heavy rainfall.
The statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, reads in part:
“We can only advise mischief makers and fake news carriers to stop their ploys, as no antic would work against the good intentions of the governor and the positive impact that the remodelling of the once-neglected Lekan Salami Stadium has made on Oyo State.”
The governor’s media aide equally described attempts to rubbish the stadium project by some opposition elements as misguided, stating that the claim that only the stadium cost N5 billion was untrue and mischievous.
He maintained that the amount being touted was for the cost of fixing the entire sports complex, which is in phases.
“Some critics have attempted to blow the cost of fixing the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba out of proportion, especially in view of the water that logged on sections of the pitch due to heavy rain.
“Let it be placed on record that the main bowl of the stadium was only the first phase of the entire project which comes in phases. There is the main bowl, the gymnasium and indoor sports hall for a variety of sporting activities, a world class Tennis court as well as the luxury apartments which will be given out on annual subscription.
“Besides, the pitch as seen on Wednesday is work in progress, because the contractor has not handed over the project to the state government. The contractor had explained that the pitch needed three more months to fully solidify so that the automatic drainage system would become fully functional.
“But the unveiling had to be done to ensure that our darling Shooting Stars Sports Club returns to Ibadan, having been forced to play their matches outside the state for so long owing to absence of a good pitch in Ibadan.
“The contractor has given his assurance to address the challenges of the pitch and by the time the works are completed, Oyo State would definitely have the value for its money, which has always been the priority and intention of Governor Makinde.”
03-09-2021 - Contractor, Lekan Salami Remodelled Stadium denies drainage system being faulty
The Project Manager of Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Limited, remodeling the Lekan Salami Stadium, Engineer Femi James has denied that the drainage system was responsible for the waterlogged pitch which hindered movement of the ball during Wednesday friendly game between Shooting Stars Sports Club and visiting NK Tabor.
Speaking with BCOS Sports Editor Boluwaji Ogunmola, on Thursday morning, Mr James attributed the problem to torrential rainfall.
The Project Manager explained that the rain has been continuously falling in Ibadan for the last 12 days had weakened the ground made it unable to longer hold water.
He however promised to fix the hitches within four weeks.
Shedding light on the claims that remodeling of the Stadium cost over 5 billion naira, Mr James explained the amount also covers the renovation of 10 other locations the firm is currently doing across the state.
“Aside the Lekan Salami Stadium, we are currently working on the Olubadan Stadium as well as some schools in Ibadan, Ogbomsho, Oyo, Iseyin, Saki and Igboora”, he said.
The Project Engineer listed other Stadia the firm has worked on in the past, when asked if this project was there first assignment.
“We carried out the renovation of the Stadium in Asaba Delta before moving to Edo State where we renovated the Sam Ogbemudia Stadium which hosted the last National Sports Festival in Benin. It was after completion of the work in Benin that we commenced the Remodeling works in Oyo State” he added.
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