Kunle Adelabu
Builder Olusesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/bayeku LCDA
Concerned residents of Igbogbo in Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu Division area of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, have charged the chieftains of community associations in Igbogbo community area of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and the council authority to provide urgent intervention in maintaining Igbe road.
The 2.2km road facilitated by the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Rep. Babajimi Benson in 2020 and commissioned by Governor Babajide Sanwo – Olu, has suffered damages in some sections at the Oreyo axis of the road due to the failure to evacuate sand in the drainages, a situation which has caused flood to overflow on the road.
THE IMPACT had about two weeks ago reported that the facilitator of the road, Hon. Benson expressed his displeasure at the failure of the community to live up to its promise of maintaining the road. The report has since generated reactions from residents, especially those residing in Igbogbo.
A collapsed section of Igbe road.
Mr Dayo Osore, a social commentator and active participant on The Peoples Forum WhatsApp platform, charged the Chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, to, as matter of urgency, do something about the bad condition of road before it deteriorated.
The concerned resident stated that he had called the attention of the council to the state of the road a week before the lawmaker expressed his displeasure.
“It was just the same issue I raised here last week. My greatest surprise was that despite my appeal to the Executive Chairman that day, I haven’t seen any action taken by the LCDA to address the situation”, he said.
“Besides the fact that those who are living in that axis will face the heaviest consequences should the road returns to its previous state, the LCDA should also know they will face the heat from the people. At least, for not taking proactive steps to address the issues.
“Again, I will appeal to the Executive Chairman, Igbogbo LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, to immediately swing into actions and make arrests if necessary, to serve as deterrent to others”, he added.
Another resident, Mr Fatai Adewale Gbadamosi, a community developer and Chairman, The Peoples Forum (TPF), an active WhatsApp platform, called on the Igbe community to urgently do something about the road before it gets worsened.
He said that this is necessary so as not to discourage Rep. Benson from facilitating other developmental projects.
“This is an ”’URGENT”’ call on leaders of Igbe road community to rise up and see to the maintenance of Igbe road so as not to discourage the kind hearted , honorable Babajimi Benson, in embarking on more projects for the benefit of his constituents”, he said.
He called for the formation of an expanded maintenance committee to sustain the road which he said is serving motorists and other road users beyond Igbe community.
Another usually sight when sand evacuated from drains are left for many days on the road.
He also called for stiff penalties for any property owner that failed to comply with the committee in protecting the road.
“I feel that it is pertinent to form a Central monitoring and enforcement team on the maintenance of this road because it belongs to us all. I live in Selewu, but I have not passed through Bayeku road through lgbogbo to go out in the morning and come back in the evening since the delivery of the lgbe road by Babajimi Benson. This is to attest to the fact that lgbe road is an infrastructure that we should all take ownership of and protect with all our efforts.
“If we could remember, the hardship we faced on that road in the past was unbearable and immense as many property owners along that axis sold their houses at cheap rates and relocated elsewhere.
“Any property owner that refuses to cooperate can be reported to the local government authorities and I assure you that the executive chairman IBLCDA, BUILDER SESAN MAYOKUN DAINI, will be too willing to mete out appropriate sanctions to such recalcitrant behavior in accordance with existing laws to save Jimi Benson/lgbe road”, he said.
In the same vein, Gbenga Odegbile, also an active member of the TPF, called out the chieftains of Igbe community that spare – headed the reconstruction of the road before Rep. Benson’s intervention, and charged them not to relent in ensuring that the road is kept motorable.
“I did call on the residents of that axis through this medium sometime early last year on the urgent need to save that road. “Ti idi ba baje, ti onidi lomada”. If we indeed reminiscence, we can’t keep quiet on the non-chalant attitude of some of the people living along the road”, he said.
“We’re using this medium again to request our own dear honourable Elder Pope James Alabi, Baba De-Sleek, Sis. Funke, Kabiesi, and some others on this platform, who sacrificed money, time, etc, for the construction of the road, not to relent or be tired yet, it’s not over until the purpose is achieved. Your labour will not be in vain, in Jesus name.
“We must take ownership of all interventions because it’s our own projects and they are for our good and benefits and this will invariably encourage Mr. Performer to do more. Good morning, great family”, he added.
A retired School Head Teacher and social commentator, Mrs Bisi Bello – Mustapha, charged the Environmental Department of the council to be alive to its responsibilities.
Flooded igbe road.
“In addition sir, the environmental sanitation officials should not be left out, real monitoring and sanctioning of the offenders should be effective”, she said.
Meanwhile, some of the residents of the Oreyo axis of the community have pointed to the lack of maintenance of the Oreyo part of the road as the cause for the deterioration.
They alleged that the large number of street sweepers that were deployed to the road, are concentrated between Igbe junction and De Sleek Hotel sections of the road whereas, De Sleek to Oreyo junction axis is neglected.
“Well, we have to thank Hon. Babajimi Benson for his intervention, and most especially, for extending the rehabilitation to the Oreyo part because the leadership of Igbe community did not factor us into the initial reconstruction plan when the lawmaker came and that is a major problem facing the road. The part of the road in Oreyo was not in their plan”, Prince Segun Oyefusi said.
“Secondly, you will notice that the Oreyo axis is filled with sand, this is because the street sweepers deployed by the Council Chairman are only working from Igbe junction to De Sleek Hotel section of the road, that is why you can hardly find sand on the road in that axis.
“This, couple with the fact that the drainages are filled with sand and no matter how they are evacuated, they will keep coming back and the council is not ready to do anything. Even when we evacuate the sand, we have to pay again for Hausas to evacuate them or wait for those that need them to come and cart them away”, he added.
He appealed to Rep. Benson to further use his influence in assisting the community to stabilize the road properly before handing it over to the community, adding that the council should be made to be responsible for the road.
