On a Monday afternoon, while I was working on Alao Akala’s campaign, my younger brother Olawale Oladoye, along with his friends Biola, Seun, and others, was en route to Ibadan. He called me around 5 p.m. to say he was heading back, and I wished him a safe journey. Tragically, this would be his last call. Less than an hour later, I received the heartbreaking news that he had been in an accident and rushed to Bowen University Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso for medical attention.
Sadly, due to the seeming indifference of the attending doctor, Olawale passed away. Like Olawale, many individuals with dreams and visions that could have positively impacted Ogbomoso and Nigeria have lost their lives on the old Ogbomoso-Oyo road.
Weekly, this road witnesses tragic vehicular accidents resulting in numerous fatalities. Some attribute these tragedies to malevolent forces, while others blame the poor condition of the road and governmental insensitivity. Reckless driving also contributes to the dangers on this route. How long must we endure these conditions?
Relief seemed to be on the horizon in 2002 when President Olusegun Obasanjo approved the construction of the Ibadan-Ilorin Expressway. We endured the inconvenience of using alternative routes like Ejigbo and Ife Odan to Iwo, which were longer but necessary due to roadblocks. We hoped this would be a temporary struggle.
Despite the expressway, many still prefer traveling to Ogbomoso via Iseyin rather than Oyo, as the Ogbomoso section of the road remains unpredictable and poorly maintained. Governor Seyi Makinde’s efforts in constructing the Ibadan-Iseyin and Iseyin-Ogbomoso roads are commendable.
However, since 2002, despite the expressway’s promise of improved travel and reduced fatalities, successive governments have either neglected or poorly managed the project. The Goodluck Jonathan administration completed the Oyo-Ibadan section, though it now requires urgent repair. The Buhari administration, despite completing about 9,000 kilometers of road projects, left the 44-kilometer Oyo-Ogbomoso section incomplete.
It is disheartening that even after one year of President Tinubu’s administration, significant progress on the road remains elusive. The construction company abandoned the site over five months ago, and there seems to be no concern from the authorities regarding the project’s status and the road’s impact on commuters and economic activities.
The question remains: Who will inform President Tinubu? His administration must allocate funds promptly to complete the road. Despite having numerous federal personalities from Oyo and Ogbomoso, it is unclear if they have the courage to address the President about the ongoing dissatisfaction with his handling of this issue. During Tinubu’s tenure as Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso, the institution faced significant challenges that were only addressed after years of delay. We hope for a more proactive response concerning the Ogbomoso-Oyo road. If appointees and lawmakers cannot convey this message, it is crucial for the media to appeal to the President to expedite the road’s completion.
Remi Oladoye writes from Papa Ajiboye, Ogbomoso.
