Media strategist Rufai Oseni recently ignited social media attention with a pointed tweet:
> “Gov Engr Seyi Makinde easily told us his cost per kilometre. Others should tell us theirs.”
By framing the contrast in such stark terms, Oseni is not just praising Makinde’s candour—he’s issuing a challenge to other public officials to match that level of transparency. What followed has become a full-blown public debate over disclosure, accountability, and how infrastructure costs are communicated to citizens.
🔍 The Background: Coastal Highway Cost Row
This dispute ties directly into a broader conflict over the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project. During a televised interview, Oseni asked the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to break down the cost of the highway in terms of naira per kilometre. Umahi resisted:
He asserted that each kilometre is different, citing variation in terrain, engineering complications, environmental requirements, and structural differences.
He dismissed the request as “elementary,” and at one point referred to himself as a “professor” to emphasize that the question was beneath his dignity.
In response, Oseni stood his ground: “Minister, it’s alright, keep dignifying yourself, and let the world know who you truly are.”
In support of Oseni’s demand, Governor Makinde later stepped in, defending the request for cost clarity and citing his own administration’s practices as examples. Makinde questioned why a public official handling a multi-trillion naira infrastructure project could not at least share an average cost per kilometre.
📐 Makinde’s Examples: How He Did It
Makinde’s willingness to publicize cost metrics is central to Oseni’s critique. Here are the figures he referenced:
Oyo → Iseyin Road: Cost ~₦9.99 billion for 34–35 km, giving an average of roughly ₦238 million per km.
Iseyin → Ogbomoso Road: Spanned 76 km at a contract value of ~₦43 billion, including two major bridges. That averages out to about ₦500 million per km.
Makinde argues that if his government can transparently share these figures, the federal ministry should be able to do the same—at least as a central benchmark.
🎯 Why Oseni’s Tweet Matters
1. Raising the Bar for Transparency
By highlighting Makinde’s openness, Oseni is setting a standard: what is permissible in a state government should not be impossible at the federal level. The tweet underscores that transparency isn’t just ideal—it’s expected.
2. Putting Officials on Notice
Oseni’s message sends political and moral pressure: if Makinde can disclose, other officials must provide similar clarity—or risk being called out.
3. Fueling Public Discourse
In an environment where many Nigerians feel left in the dark about how public funds are used, referencing tangible figures (cost per km) shifts the debate from abstraction to specific accountability.
4. Enabling Benchmarking & Oversight
If multiple projects publish per-kilometre averages, it opens the door for comparisons, flagging of anomalous costs, and more rigorous scrutiny by civil society, analysts, and the media.
💼 Broader Reactions & External Voices
Support for Oseni’s stance has extended beyond the immediate media circle:
Ikubese, a former presidential aspirant, publicly backed Oseni, calling on Minister Umahi to “tell us the cost per kilometre as awarded” and to transparently present how the initial tranche of the loan for the coastal highway has been deployed.
Media outlets and political commentary have highlighted that Umahi’s resistance to a simple “average cost” figure compounds perceptions of opacity and raises questions about the contract’s oversight.
The public discourse now hinges on whether federal officials will heed Oseni’s call—or double down on technical complexity as a shield against disclosure.
🛠 What Citizens Should Demand
To reinforce accountability, here’s what the public and media should insist officials deliver:
1. Average Cost Per Kilometre
Even if detailed segment-by-segment breakdowns are complex, a baseline average is reasonable and meaningful.
2. Transparent Explanations of Variance
Where costs differ, officials should disclose key drivers—such as geotechnical challenges, bridge structures, earthworks, materials, right-of-way, and environmental mitigation.
3. Progress vs Projections Reporting
Publish periodic updates comparing projected cost to actual disbursements, flagging overruns early.
4. Benchmark Comparisons
Report costs for comparable projects (state, regional, federal) to allow public assessment of value for money.
5. Open Data Access
Make key cost documents accessible—project contracts, variation orders, audit reports—subject to redaction only for national security or proprietary constraints.
> Gov Engr Seyi Makinde easily told us his cost per kilometer — others should tell us theirs.
That was the bold tweet from media strategist Rufai Oseni, and its ripple effect is now being felt across the corridors of power. Oseni’s jab comes as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway has become a battleground for transparency, with the Minister of Works refusing to share even an average cost per km.
In a tense live exchange, Oseni demanded a cost breakdown. The minister refused, calling the question simplistic and accusing the journalist of lacking technical understanding. Oseni responded: “Let the world know who you truly are.” Support came swiftly, including from Governor Makinde, who cited his administration’s road projects with public cost metrics of ₦238 million and ₦500 million per km. By so doing, Makinde’s example has become the very standard Oseni now demands federal officials meet.
The question is no longer theoretical: if state governments can openly publish cost metrics, how can federal ones hide behind complexity? Nigerians deserve clarity—and Oseni’s tweet isn’t just rhetorical flourish. It’s a summons to accountability.
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