The history of Ona–Ara Local Government could be traced to the agitation by its founding fathers after the creation of Oluyole Local Government considered to be extremely large for efficient and effective administration. The argument of these founding fathers was premised on the fact that too much emphasis was placed on urban areas to the detriment of the predominately agrarian rural areas.
As a matter of fact, the founding fathers were of the ascertain that the rural areas were completely cut off from contributing to the system of governance, with bad roads, no potable water, the people were in darkness with occasional outbreaks of epidemics.
The tide however turned in 1989 when the then Military Administration of President Ibrahim Babangida created Ona–Ara Local Government out of the Old Oluyole Local Government with the headquarters at Akanran. Akanran was strategically chosen as the headquarters due to its central location with road networks linking other communities in the eleven wards of the Local Government before the creation of Local Council Development Areas {LCDA} by His Excellency Senator {Dr.} Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi.
Ona–Ara Local Government is bounded in the northern partly by Egbeda Local Government, in the southern part by Oluyole Local Government, in the eastern part by Ogun/Osun State and in the western part by Lagos/Ibadan express way with Ibadan South East Local Government area on the other side of the express way. Ona–Ara Local Government comprises of eleven wards.
The people of Ona–Ara Local Government are predominantly farmers with fertile land for each crop like cocoa, kola, cashews and citrus like orange, mango e.t.c. The farming population is scattered all over the various communities in the Local Government which include Foworogun, Idi–Ogun, Elese–Erin, Olosunde, Ojebode, Akanran and Gbada–Efon to mention just a few.
For couple of years now, the name ‘Dotun Sanusi’ has consistently resurfaced in Oyo State.
The man, who is in his mid-50’s has been the one behind several remarkable events in the state, including a socio-political conflict settlement involving the People’s Democratic Party,PDP in Oyo State, volunteer advisory role to the Oyo State’s Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC under its 2nd Term chairman, Comrade Kayode Martins and first ever personality to host a 2nd Term elected governor,Seyi Makinde to victory.
Dotun Sanusi is an engineer who graduated from the Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Ibadan,Ibadan,Nigeria.
Having worked for over two decades as an entrepreneur at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Engr. Dotun Sanusi, in 2010, returned to Ibadan, his hometown, where he hit the ground running with the establishment of the Institute of College of Arts, Science and Technology (ICAST) at Elebu, area of the capital city of Oyo State.
Furtherly, he established Ilaji Farms, an agric business enterprise and Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort, a multi-billion naira hospitality/sporting outfit with a world class nature.
Through the company, Engr. Dotun Sanusi has shown that he is far away from his multi-billionaire cliques who would rather have their businesses established in the city where they can, within short period of time, make returns on the money they have invested, but for Dotun Sanusi, who is passionate about community development, sited a hospitality facility births ILAJI HOTELS AND RESORTS at Oloyo Village, Akanran, Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Ibadan,Oyo State.
A facility that houses
zoo, stadia, artificial beach, hotel, gym, church, mosque, mini- mart, swimming pools, bars!
Ilaji Hotels and Resort is a perceived economic hub to the Oyo state and Nigeria at large which could augment the state owned stadium and must be strengthened the more by the Oyo state government led by Dr Seyi Makinde.
Dotun Sanusi has been a blessing to the entire residents of Ona-Ara as Ilaji Hotels and Resort has upped employment chances of residents there, no wonder, recently the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC ,Oyo State Chapter, led by Kayode Martins awarded him award of Excellence to the extent,NLC echoed” If we have three Sanusi’s , Nigeria will be better”, can’t you see that the statement goes along way; a highly exalted message.
Undoubtedly, economic performances of Ilaji Hotels and Resort beckon the attention of Oyo State government in the area ranging from construction of Ogbere -Tioya Bridge, dualization of Airport-Ajia Road and as well siting of Airforce Base, as nothwithstanding, Ilaji Resorts adds to the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the State.
Ilaji Hotels and Resort has everything needed in life including media and communication station licensed in the year 2022 by the outgoing administration in Nigeria, under Muhammed Buhari. How will this facility not be a microphone to Ona-Ara? Existing International-African football team? And host of others, Ilaji Hotels and Resort is a light, pride and African heritage to all of us in Nigeria and must be maintained.
