It has turned into a troubling circumstance in nearly all the geo-political zones of the state. The miserable condition of our road network is begging for urgent consideration from the new administration of Engr. Seyi Makinde. Those in Ibadan have been having a sorry story while those outside Ibadan are not smiling.
IN IBADAN, for those living at and heaping through OREMEJI AGUGU street to IDI-OBI, Bola Ige International Market (GBAGI), AIRPORT, AMULOKO, and some other nearby areas the road serves, the destruction brought about by those telecommunications engineers, as of late during the installation of their ‘useless’ underground pipes is truly making life unbearable when going out and returning home. As an update, Engr. Seyi Makinde ought to know that, that is the area he once lived. Perhaps, he may not recall again that the street partitions Egbeda and Ona Ara LGAs, connects numerous spots and fits in as a feeder to relieve the traffic/gridlock that occurs on almost every weekend consistently on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Yet, the circumstance of the road has turned that pivot of the state to a sorry one.
After the rebuilding of the collapsed bridge situated at Babanla Area of that territory back then in 2011 by the past administration of Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, the problem resurfaced after the bridge was ‘harmed’ and left unrepaired by the telecommunication engineers that keep digging the asphaltic surface on numerous streets in the state, be that as it may. I heard from those close to the seat of power that the state has been paid to take up the fixing or repairing process.
CAVEAT: sometimes back during the course of this underground laying of pipes/cables across the state, the writer and a partner, Mr. Osunkojo Samson once met the site engineer of that hub, and requested for the paper that backs the removal of the asphalt laid on the road and, as we realized it was unlawful for them to do, he did not want to provide us with the document requested for, as he took us for those that sought ‘owo omo onilè’. “Ati settle awon young boys now, or you need us to call police for you”, we answered, that will be better, and he calmed his nerves, and showed us some papers that, the State government have been paid to deal with the recovery procedure after they may have been done, and even, the lawmaker(s) of any area they are working were constantly carried along. After they completed at that point, the road was fixed and tarredreally. Still here in Ibadan, the pool we continue seeing at Iwo Road part need dire and rapid activity from those construction company working there. Bashorun-Akobo Barracks, Olorunsogo-Amuloko, Muslim-Mosfala, Erunmu-Egbeda (a foremost town in Ibadanland, and those popular and most patronize local markets in Ibadan and its environs, ‘Oja Tesan Erunmu’), Apete-Aroma-Ariyibi Olomo and numerous roads inside Ibadan that need urgent attention as they are in one manner or the other affecting the economic activities of their respective areas, then, having impact on the way of life of individuals.
IN OYO, the story was not different like that of Ibadan and other zones. Despite the fact that we have the new Ibadan-Oyo road, the road that doesn’t go through the heart of the Ancient Oyo town. That particular reality causes the old road to be increasingly effective and making it to be worn out every day. Thanks to the local government that makes feeder roads there more increasingly accessible for the utilization of the general masses of the town. Be that as it may, it is an eyesore that, a state of emergency ought to have been declared with respect to Oyo-Iseyin Road, obviously, that is the road that links Oyo geo-political zone of the state to that of Oke-Ogun. It is currently a no-go area with except that one needs to be a friend of pain relief drugs for days.
IN OKE-OGUN, the way things are, people from Ibadan will find it difficult to link the Oke-Ogun geo-political zone of the state, a similar experience will be for those from Oyo town too. But why? The Ibadan-Iseyin road is a no-go area, while the Oyo-Iseyin part has turned into a death trap and makes traveling to and fro the zone a nightmare for those traveling through the road, as those risking it have their stories to tell. Except the only road that goes through the heart of Iseyin, other roads in that geopolitical zone are begging for urgent attention. Or should we give a nod or thumb to the narrow one that connected Iseyin to Okeho, Okaka, Igboho, Igbeti, Ago Are, Ago Amodu, Irepo, Kisi, Saki and a lot additionally missing towns of the zone? Saki township roads are all out in wreckage, as it was left unattended to.
IN IBARAPA, the road network is fairly and generally reasonable, on account of the rehabilitation done to the Ibadan-Eruwa road, and it appears mostly that, those heaping through the part are less compared to those heaping through Oyo, Oke-Ogun and Ogbomosho.
Oh! Federal Government has awarded Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Dual Carriage Way rehabilitation and construction, and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway under construction is heading to Iwo Road, where that newly awarded one will be taking off, then, do we need to still lavish N8B again from the treasury of the state to that axis when many other places are begging for the attention of the government? Or maybe the newly awarded road have no design of what does Mr. Governor intend to bring forth to the place? But, can’t there be collaboration with the Federal Government on that road for the betterment of the general masses and divert the N8B to other areas that deplorable conditions of road network?
Akintunde Yusuf Akinloye writes from Ibadan, the state capital. He can be reached via yusufakinloye2204@gmail.com
