In this special report, The Informant247’s Yemi Sodeeq tells how despite a glamorous handing over of Oko Fruit Juice Company to Agvest company limited by Oyo State government on a Public-Private Partnership in 2020, the company remained moribund and was never revived as promised. Meanwhile, Residents continue to hope for a better turn around of the company which was commissioned 17 years ago but never fully operated.
On September 24, 2020, anticipation filled the air in Oko, Surulere South Local Council Development Area of Oyo State as residents prepared to welcome Governor Seyi Makinde. Among them was Abdullahi Oladejo, a graduate of Ibadan Polytechnic, eagerly awaiting the Governor’s arrival.
“We were told that he is coming to do something at the Fruit Juice Company, and everyone was happy and preparing to welcome the governor. The town was full of joy,” he said.
Governor Makinde had previously flagged off the renovation and remodeling of Agbowo Shopping Complex in Ibadan on September 23.
During the flag-off ceremony, the Governor announced plans to collaborate with Messrs Whitestone Global Ltd to convert the moribund facility into a premium commercial real estate and a 4-star hotel. This collaboration involved a long lease concession for 50 years, with a capital injection of N4.9 Billion.
Within this context, Abdullahi and many other informed youths of the Oko community eagerly awaited the Governor’s visit.
“I was there personally. When you see people ready to meet someone they love, you will know,” said Abdullahi, noting the Governor’s popularity among the people.
Qoseem Adebayo expressed the community’s excitement upon hearing about the Governor’s visit to the fruit juice processing company.
“The King of our town was also present, along with other distinguished personalities. It was a significant event,” Qoseem said.
Amidst media coverage, Governor Makinde later handed over the fruit juice company to Agvest Limited.
Makinde stated that his administration was committed to reviving the facility to boost the socioeconomic status of the host community.
“This PPP initiative is built on an equity restructure model with a capital injection of about N350 Million. Producers of our famous Ogbomoso mangoes will also have indigenous off-takers for their fruits,” Governor Makinde noted.
Abdullahi recalled the Governor’s promise that the project would be ready within six months.
“The only statement no one can forget was his promise that the company would start operating in the next six months after the handover.
“People are highly disappointed that the project was never executed. I think the private firm became disinterested in the project due to the location of the company,” said Qoseem.
“That’s not an excuse,” opined Oladejo. “I think the firm expected to find a fully functional company with all the equipment working, but they didn’t find anything on the ground.”
Company Never Fully Operational
The Pacesetter Fruit Juice Processing Company in Oko was commissioned in 2007 but became moribund afterward.
A youth advocate, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed that the company never operated at its maximum capacity, and the machines brought in only worked for a few days prior to the commissioning.
He explained, “The machines worked for a few days before the commissioning. It was during the same period as Governor Ladoja’s impeachment saga, which affected the company. There was also supposed to be a Garri processing company in Orile Igbon. There were supposed to be three projects in the Ogbomoso zone: Two Garri processing companies and one fruit juice company in Oko.
“So, the Ladoja impeachment saga affected the project, and it was also around the time that the local government administration of Mr. Segun Odebunmi ‘Bunvic’ ended as Chairman. The issue of ownership is also unclear. Is it owned by the local government or the state? Nobody knows,” he added.
He noted that nobody was ever fully employed by the company.
“The company never operated fully, and nobody was ever employed except for a security guard employed by the local government to secure the place. In fact, we didn’t know whether the people operating the machines were government staff or not.
“I also understand that some of the machines brought in are no longer there. So, when were these machines removed, and who took them?” he asked.
However, successive governments neglected the company and its potential to contribute immensely to the economic activities of the host community.
Youth like Oladejo believe that the company would have addressed the problem of unemployment in the town if it had been completed.
“It would have addressed the issue of unemployment to some extent. Even if appointments were made based on merit, someone like me would have been employed because I majored in a course related to such activities during my undergraduate days.
While handing over the company to Agvest Limited, Governor Makinde said it would create 65 direct jobs and over 500 indirect jobs upon completion. He added that the company would produce mango juice and other cocktails.
At the ceremony, The Managing Director, AGVEST Limited, Olabode George, said the company, due to the abundance of fruits in the locality, would produce fruit juice for mango, pineapple, orange, and fruit cocktail, as well as jams. They also intended to produce organic fertilizers from the waste generated.
“In total, we will create 50-75 direct jobs and generate 500-550 indirect jobs. By the time the governor comes for formal commissioning, we expect to have made significant progress on the property’s physical structure. We will import a fruit juice line from India,” he said.
“Overall, we believe we will add value not only to the host community but also to the state’s economy. We also believe in giving back to the community where we work,” he added.
Three years later, the community is yet to see the fruition of the handover ceremony and the promises made by the Governor.
“The impact of the company would not only be felt in Oko but would also benefit the entire Ogbomoso zone. Our community has an abundance of raw materials, and most of us are farmers. With the company, there would be no need to transport produce to distant cities like Lagos or Ibadan, which would increase profits.
“He also reiterated his commitment to reviving the company during his campaign here in Oko during the last election, so maybe he will address it in his second term,” added Qoseem.
Efforts to inquire about the project at the Oyo State Investment and Public-Private Partnership Agency (OYSIPA) proved futile.
When contacted on December 5, 2023, the DG of OYSIPA, Tilewa Folami, said, “I am in a meeting. I can’t talk right now.” When asked when he could be reached, he said ‘next year.’
Determined to get an official reaction from the government, this reporter also reached out to the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in Oyo State, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who stated he couldn’t speak on the issue.
“I am not in the best position to speak on this. I advise you to talk to OYSIPA, who can provide an official position. They are the right people to talk to,” he said.
Reached again on December 12, the DG maintained that he couldn’t speak on the fruit juice company until 2024.
The company, incorporated in Ibadan, Nigeria, with registration number 1103555, remains inactive, with its current status unknown. Efforts to reach Agvest Limited at its registered address were unsuccessful.
Adeola Akande and Oluwatoyin Adeleye are registered directors of the company.
The Informant247 also observed that the company was included in Governor Seyi Makinde’s Oyo State Roadmap to sustainable development document for 2023-2027.
“We will work with private sector participants to resuscitate Agbowo Shopping Complex, Ibadan; Pacesetter Juice Factory, Oko; and the Eruwa Cashew Farm Plantation, Eruwa, within four years of being re-elected,” the Governor stated in the document seen by The Informant247.
As residents await action, questions linger about the fate of the Fruit Juice Company and the promises made to the community.