Inside Ogun border town of woes, pains
.. …residents bemoan the absence of government
OLU AYELESO
“It is hellish here! Agonising and extremely uncomfortable. The other day, I saw a very elderly woman fall off an okada into a pool of dirty water at a portion of the bad road going to Akute.
Young men, women and a lot of other residents are not left out of these daily troubles and trauma while going out for their daily endeavours.”
These were the comments of Engineer Wale Saheed, a resident.
Welcome to Akute, where all the roads have gone from bad to worse.
This border town between Ogun and Lagos state has never seen a good time, as far as the roads are concerned.
“No place is left out.
The Community keeps growing in leaps and bounds. The population boom is daily. Yet, the government only has made and kept making failed and fake promises to the people. It’s really sad.”
Saheed seemed completely pained at what residents have been going through on the major roads over the years. Harrowing pains, groaning, hissing and cursing are the mood of the people while plying the roads to and fro daily.
“I’ve lived in Akute for more than 15 years now. It has always been the same story. From Agbado to Ijoko. Oke Aro to Olambe through to Akute. And Akute to
Alagbole to Iju. It’s the same woeful tale!
“Seeing people and even myself wallowing and going through the sufferings every day. I feel pity and even cursed those that are supposed to see to the comfort and we’ll being of the residents, who seemed to have shot their eyes to their pains and anguish.
“The question I asked almost, always is what does it take for the Ogun state government to reconstruct these roads? Is this not part of the dividends of a democratic government that the electorate should enjoy?
Is this not what development is about? Is this not part of the promises made by the politicians while campaigning at elections?
“When will the better days come? When will the people say they have benefited and enjoy the dividends of democracy from a ruling government?”
Myriads of questions begging for answers. Same sad complaints. Grumblings, gnashing of teeth and waiting for Golgotha!
A resident okada rider, nicknamed Dudu, was not spared at all in his comments. Fuming in anger, he described the present government of Governor Dapo Abiodun as deceptive and insensitive to the plight of the people.
“I remember what happened before the elections. The Governor came to this area during the campaign. He begged the people to vote for him and promised that all the roads will be completed. Before the election, we saw construction vehicles in Akute.
Some politicians who were eyeing either the State House of Assembly or the House of Representatives attempted to do ‘fire brigade’ works. I think the Governor’s staff was palliative too.
Some construction work was done at the Akute bus stop. A lot of people rejoiced and felt that their woes would end soonest.
Alas! Not long after the elections, all the construction trucks were gone. That’s our plight here.
No sincerity of purpose and commitment on the part of the leader and his lieutenants. It’s so sad!”
With this excruciating picture, residents
have continued to daily ride on Okada and available commercial vehicles to get to the various places where they eke a living.
“Long before the fuel increase and as long as I can remember, a lot of car owners have parked their cars and resorted to either Okada or commercial buses because of the effects of the roads and the sky-rocketed prices of vehicle spare parts. How do you cope and sustain yourself?
These days, you see people walk some considerable distance before entering a vehicle to cut the cost of transportation. It’s not palatable at all.
Sadly enough, the so-called leaders don’t feel anything. The few times they travel on the roads, it is in the best of SUVs. Therefore, they feel nothing about potholes and bumps.
“If the roads are good, it will be of great advantage to the residents, traders and
transporters in no small measures. However, the effects of the poor state of the roads are alarming.
“Here, things are extremely expensive.
People complain and express displeasure.
But, at the end of the day, what choice do they have? They have to eat. Go out and engage in their businesses and daily duties”
A lot of residents think that it would have been of great value if the Ogun state government could empower and mandate its Local Governments to carry out the reconstruction of these roads.
“We have seen what is done in Lagos State at the various Local Government Councils. It’s not magic or anything. Just a matter of solving major transportation
problems at the council level.
“Government has the power and financial strength to do whatever is essential for the people. I think it’s just cheer wickedness and insensitivity on the part of those that are not doing it.
If past Governors started a project and abandoned it. successive ones should complete such and take the accolades.
“Governor Dapo Abiodun will have his name written in gold if he revisits and fix these roads across the board. If this is done.
It will take the pains and anguish off the people. What the people want from the government is not so much.
Provide good roads, electricity, water, employment, and affordable food, fuel gas and infrastructural facilities,
everyone will be happy,” says Olaiya.
It could be recalled that Edidem Ekpo Abasi Otu, Obong of Calabar in Cross River State, recently bemoaned the deplorable state of roads in Ogun State and urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to pay attention and fix them.
He asked Abiodun to pay special attention to the state’s roads, particularly those leading to the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), where the monarch serves as Chancellor.
He spoke shortly after a press conference to mark the University’s 30th convocation.
Speaking at his lodge on the University campus, the first-class monarch described his experience playing Ogun roads that led to the university’s permanent site.
He said; I will tell the President about it. This present President is our own and we will tell him about the situation.
Look at this place, as beautiful as it is – but no matter what you build in a bush, it will not still show. While we were coming, the car was just moving in zig zag.
Let’s take it as a serious matter, it is the problem of the government. Let us do all that we could do to put this road in proper shape.
You can step out and go to other states and see what governors have done, irrespective of whether it is federal roads or state roads. The key is that the structure you have there, that establishment you have there should be well taken care of. I have appealed now hoping that by the next time I come here, the roads will be in their best shape.
Sometimes ago there was a president who was from here and nothing was done but now, we have a president who is our own and we shall tell him about these roads.
Responding, the Ogun State government said the Obong of Calabar, His Royal Majesty, Edidem Abasi, directed his attack on the deplorable state of the
Abeokuta-Ibadan road at the wrong quarters.
State government, in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Works, Engr. Ade Akinsanya said the road in question belongs to the Federal Government.
He said that the Dapo Abiodun administration in Ogun State had been giving quality and adequate attention to all roads in the state, whether federal, state or local. This, he said, had led to the rehabilitation of over 400 roads.
He added that the state government started working on the road from Adatan in Abeokuta but the Federal Government directed the State Government to stop construction at Moore Junction because it asked KOPEK to take over the road.
Akinsanya noted that the state government was yet to receive a major refund from the federal government on the money expended on federal roads.
He listed some of the roads to include; Ijebu-Ode-Mojoda-Epe, Lafenwa-Rounda (to be extended to Alamala), and Atan-Lusada-Agbara road, adding that part of the Sango Ota-Abeokuta road had been done, especially the Sango Ota area.
