EKITI RENT CRISIS: GOVT UNDER FIRE FOR ‘HYPOCRISY’ AS IT THREATENS LANDLORDS OVER MESS IT CREATED
The Ekiti State Government is facing a storm of outrage after moving to threaten landlords and estate agents over skyrocketing house rents despite widespread accusations that the crisis is a direct result of its own glaring failure in the housing sector.
In what critics have branded a desperate blame game, the government issued warnings against “outrageous rents,” even as residents continue to suffer under a brutal accommodation shortage that has been ignored for years.
At a sensitisation programme in Iyin Ekiti, the Special Adviser on Housing, Dr Gboyega Oloniyo, declared that the government would no longer tolerate exploitative charges and hinted at plans to impose rent regulations and set up a tribunal.
But the announcement has triggered backlash, with many describing it as “pure hypocrisy” and “policy intimidation.”
“You failed to build houses, you failed to support developers, now you want to control prices?” an angry stakeholder fired. “This is not governance, this is scapegoating.”
Across major towns like Ado Ekiti, Ikere, Oye, Ilawe, Ikole, and Iyin, rents have gone through the roof fueled by a massive housing deficit, rising construction costs, and increasing student population. Yet, critics say the government only woke up when the situation spiraled out of control.
Rather than rolling out real solutions, the state is now pushing what many fear is a crackdown that could backfire badly.
Landlords and agents are already warning that any forceful rent control without addressing supply will cripple investment and worsen the housing shortage.
“This approach will scare investors away. You can’t bully the market and expect miracles,” another participant warned.
Despite acknowledging the high cost of building materials, the government has offered no concrete relief, no subsidies, no mass housing rollout—just threats and rhetoric.
Even calls from stakeholders for student hostels, regulatory clarity, and proper housing frameworks highlight what many see as the government’s long-standing neglect.
Meanwhile, the move to set up a rent tribunal is being viewed in some quarters as a ticking time bomb one that could spark conflict between authorities and property owners without delivering any real relief to struggling tenants.
For many residents, the verdict is already clear: a government that failed to provide housing is now trying to control the consequences of its own failure.
And as tensions rise, one question echoes louder across Ekiti is this reform, or just another cover-up?
