An Ibadan-based civil servant, identified as Mr Kolapo has abandoned his 3-bedroom apartment located in one of the communities along the Ajibode-Laniba-Lagbeja-Akingbile road.
The road is situated in Akinyele local government area, one of the eleven (11) local government areas that make up Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
DAILY POST gathered that the road serves more than fifty two (52) communities and villages in Akinyele local government area.
Some of the communities and villages along the road are Ajibode, Laniba, Balogun, Adeogun, Falao, Aba Osho, Lagbeja and Akingbile.
Others are Kankun, Fabode, Atoyebi, Olodo, Oyafi, Okete, Mogaji, Oloro and Ofakun.
One will be wondering why a civil servant like Kolapo could use his hard-earned salaries to purchase a piece of land, build on it and abandon it.
Kolapo did not abandon his house because of poor electricity supply or lack of access to water.
A close interaction with Kolapo revealed that he abandoned his house due to the difficulties he and his family members face along the road on a daily basis.
Kolapo is not the only one in this situation; it was learnt that thousands of residents of the communities plying the road are experiencing the same problem.
Many landlords and landladies in these communities have also abandoned their houses due to the bad state of the road.
Investigations by DAILY POST revealed that the road has been abandoned, making it highly degraded.
Genesis of the construction of Ajibode-Laniba-Lagbeja- Akingbile road
DAILY POST gathered that the construction of the road started during the first term of the immediate past governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi.
Ajimobi initiated the construction of the road in 2011 shortly after the flood that ravaged some parts of Ibadan in August 2011, but did not complete it.
A visit by DAILY POST to the communities revealed that Ajimobi tarred the road from Ajibode to Laniba and from Akingbile to Lagbeja but abandoned the one from Laniba to Lagbeja.
Makinde, who took over from Ajimobi, made some efforts to get the road in good shape but these efforts have not yielded positive results.
A recent visit showed that the Makinde government constructed one side of drainage on the road from Laniba to Lagbeja.
The drainage on the second side of the road has been abandoned.
Abandoned road no more motorable, posing security threats – Residents
Chairman of Adeogun community, Alhaji Owolabi Akanji told DAILY POST that the section of the road from Laniba to Lagbeja which has been abandoned is posing security threats.
He added that some criminal elements are using the opportunity to perpetuate evil acts.
He said, “The road serves over 52 communities and villages. Ajimobi started the construction. The construction started after the flood in 2011.
“When the flood occurred, Ajimobi began the construction of some roads that will serve as alternatives. At that time, Apete Bridge collapsed and the construction began to serve as an alternative.
“Ajimobi constructed it from Ajibode to Laniba. It stopped at Laniba. Then he started another one from Akingbile to Lagbeja.
“Makinde came in 2019. Then they constructed one side of drainage on the road. They also started the second side but it has been abandoned.
“The abandoned section is about four kilometres from Laniba to Lagbeja.
“We do not see any contractor, it is a direct labour work being executed by the ministry of works. The road is bad and it is posing security risks for the people”.
Residents resort to self help after several efforts to get government attention
Akanji noted that the affected communities have written several letters to the government but they are yet to get positive results.
He said that they usually resorted to self help by contributing money to fill some potholes.
He urged the state government to complete the road urgently.
He said, “We have written several letters to the government but we are yet to get positive results.
“Several appeals have been made to the government to come to our rescue and complete this road.
“What we normally do is to task ourselves and contribute money to get some materials and fill some potholes. We have been doing it in the past.
“We want the state government to get the road fixed on time. It is unfortunate that some landlords and landladies have abandoned their houses due to the poor condition of the road. You know that when a road is motorable, it will attract development’.
Makinde should do something urgently to complete the road before end of his tenure – Residents
A resident of Falao community, Mr Ayobami Iyanda noted that the road is getting worse day by day.
He noted that most communities have resorted to self help.
Iyanda said, “The roads are getting worse day by day to the extent that we are not able to go out with our cars during the rainy season. As I am talking right now, we are grading some portion of the road by ourselves. We are about 50 communities.
“The road was re-awarded sometime around 2022 and the drainage at one side was fixed while the other side was around 30% completed. From then, the road had been abandoned which has opened it to erosion and is highly degraded. It is very difficult to ply and has become a den for miscreants”.
A resident of Lagbeja identified as Mr Alabi noted that the residents of the community are finding it difficult to access other communities because of the poor condition of the road.
“We are suffering in this community because of the bad condition of the road.
“It has affected the progress of this community. We want the state government to come and complete it on time,” he pleaded.
A resident of Oyafi, Mrs Okunola noted that the vulnerable people, especially women, children and the aged are passing through a lot of difficulties on the road.
“The women, children and the elderly people are the ones suffering most. We want the state government to come and complete this road. It is painful that it has been abandoned,” she lamented.
A resident of Kankun, identified as Mr Akanmu, tasked the state government to get the road fixed on time.
He said: “The road is no more motorable. It is very difficult to pass. Many people in the communities have abandoned their houses, some car owners have abandoned their cars at home. We want the state government to come to our aid.
“Makinde should not wait until the end of his tenure before he will come and complete this road”.
Makinde will complete all ongoing projects before the end of his tenure – CPS
Meanwhile, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media to governor Seyi Makinde, has assured that the road and all other ongoing projects will be completed before the end of the administration.
Olanrewaju made this declaration during a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Saturday.
He said that the residents of the affected communities should be rest assured that the road will be completed before the end of the Makinde administration.
Olanrewaju said, “Oyo State governor has promised that he will not abandon any project.
“So, if that road has already started, the construction has started by this administration, you can be rest assured that before the end of the tenure of governor Seyi Makinde, the road will be completed.
“The road will be completed during the lifetime of this administration”.
