Over the years, the T-junction linking the ever busy Abeokuta Road to Dick Road on which Alesinloye Market is situated has become a notorious junction claiming lives of commuters and also haven for criminals.
For clarity sake, Abeokuta Road is an offshoot from Obafemi Awolowo Road at J-Allen/ZenithBank Regional Office at Dugbe and traverses Iyaganku/Alalubosa Quarters, Fatimo/Odo Ona, Moor Plantation/Government College, Apata/Owode Estate to Omi Adio till it reaches Abeokuta the capital of Ogun State.
On the other hand, Dick Road is the Ajimobi’s administration dualized road from the Railway cross to Magazine Road Roundabout at ANCE building.
These two major roads had just a fault and the fault was the emptying of a dual carriage (Dick) road into a single lane (Abeokuta Road) without considering the level of traffic and stress of the commuters at the junction. While the past administration was dualising the Dick Road, I had thought that something will be done to the stretch of Abeokuta Road especially from the Zenith Bank to MKO Abiola (Ring) Road junction at 110 which is approximately 5 kilometers, but nothing was done except the political gain of the administration did the road.
Not quite a month ago, a cement loaded trailer fell off the road into the valley beside the Total filling station. A year ago, a truck lost control and ran over a Micra commuter killing all the passengers. Similar incident of a truck carrying container developed fault in the traffic at the same spot. The driver managed to park it off the road beside the valley, and in the process, the truck fell into the valley. Fire incident from furniture workshops in the valley has also occur to mention but a few.
The state government must therefore quickly take a proactive act and put things into place to safe lives and properties in this axis following below suggestions:
Firstly, the state government would have provided much succor if, without considering the Federal road issue on Abeokuta road, and the approximately 5 kilometers stretch from Zenith Bank to 110 junction is quickly dualised. This would invariably add to the beauty of the city road grids and give the commuters a relief.
Secondly, majority of people living in Alalubosa GRA are always in a mess traffic-wise going and coming out of their residence. By design, the only access and exit to and fro the GRA is on Dick Road directly opposite the Railway Corporation second gate. It’s always a hectic efforts for anybody driving in or out of that elitists residence any time there’s traffic built-up. The state government can directly link the estate to Abeokuta Road from the GRA main gate and or secondly direct their access to the National Museum axis under the power line.
Thirdly, as the Aregbesola Administration did in the State of Osun, at Okefia/Railway junction, they cleverly created a separate link out of Alekuwodo Road that diverted the traffic from the axis to Gbongan/State Secretariat Road. Same could be applied creating a parallel link road that will solely pick traffic from museum junction to Abeokuta road without reaching the troubled junction.
With the above suggestions, the state government is implored to see to the plight of the people and take immediate action. To dualize the section, there’s no major obstacle, the stretch of the valley is a “buffer zone” with a crop of temporary developments that may not require much compensation save the Total and Oando filling stations. The two stations could also be saved from demolition if the engineering design can take a lane behind them.
In conclusion, this post is done with utmost faith, to safe humanity. I do not have any ulterior motives nor inciting the government to demolish the developments along the buffer zone comprises some Churches and few commercial concerns.
God bless Oyo State
God bless Nigeria.
Esv Ismail Adewoyin is an Ibadan based Estate Surveyor & Valuer. He is a Public Commentator & The Convener of Okeogun Project Forum
He can be reached via bimpeadewoyin@gmail.com or @ismailadewoyin on twitter.
