What was supposed to be a project that would develop the Agbado area in the Ifo Local government area of Ogun state has turned out to be the source of agonies, sorrows and regrets for many residents living in the axis over the poor state of the road, which has become an abandoned project.
Agbado Community is less than a 2-minute distance to Lagos state as most of it’s residents work in Lagos state. Quite a number of residents now opt for train transportation to avoid the bad road and high cost of transportation to their place of work.
About Ten years ago, precisely on September 30, 2013, the immediate past governor of Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, begin the demolition and expansion of the 32km Sango-Ijoko-Agbado-Ojodu.
When bulldozers and excavators roared in the neighbourhood to begin dismantling structures to make way for the expansion of the road, the people were seen rejoicing as they welcomed the development with joy.
The people believed that the expansion is a massive project that is capable of not only opening up the area for commercial activities but will engender rapid development of Ogun State.
However, a visit to the road Ten years after construction began, Ikejabird observed that the state of the road is now worse than the way it was before the government started the expansion.
Our reporter, who visited almost every part of the road, observed that many portions of the road have been taken over by stagnant water.
It was also observed that the demolished shops, residential buildings, churches, mosques, filling stations and shanties in many of the roads were still the way it was, as nothing significant had been done on the road expansion.
Although, on several occasions, Amosun has insisted that he would complete the road which is the artery into the border communities and Berger on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway, it came as a surprise that the former governor could not fulfil his promise for the people of the axis.
When Ikejabird visited the affected communities by the bad shape of the road, it was gathered that the road had turned to a burden and agony for the people residing in the area.
It was further gathered that the over 20 border communities on the axis are currently reeling in pain as the road is no more motorable and has made residents who built houses in the affected areas reportedly go through daily agonies while paving the road.
Ikejabird reporter who took a bike from Ishaga where the expansion was supposed to end, observed that while some parts were partially completed, some were totally abandoned.
It was also observed that the road, which has eight bridges, cannot boast of one bridge that has been completed as many of the bridges were abandoned half done.
Ikejabird further observed that there are many portions of the road that is not motorable at all, which has led to abandoning of the road totally between Ijoko and Agbado.
Residents and motorist who spoke with Ikejabird claimed that the uncompleted road project had brought them untold hardships.
When asked if politicians always come to campaign in the area, the residents told our reporter that almost every political parties came to campaign in different part of the areas during the last election.
A motorist, Micheal Akinwale, said, “This road is worse than it used to be then.
“We cannot even pass some areas between Ijoko and Agbado because the road is not motorable. Water has taken over those places and trailers are even avoiding those places.
“We want the federal government to come to our aide, and this pain is becoming unbearable”.
A resident identified as Elizabeth Clement said the erosion that has take over an abandoned part has sent them out of their home.
Clement maintained that erosion has also take over their home, which has made them homeless.
