Kunle Adelabu
-Says project over 50% in four months
Community leaders in Selewu Community in Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, have again expressed their feelings at the representation of Rep. Babajimi Benson, the representative of Ikorodu Federal Constituency, and lauded the fast pace of work on the Selewu Road that he facilitated the construction of.
The 2.5km road was flagged – off last December and four months after, the community has pronounced that it has been about 55% completed during a tour of the project at the weekend. The central CDA team embarked on the tour from the starting point till the end of the road to see how far that the contractor has gone and also pointed out some challenges to the Resident Engineer that accompanied them.
The construction of the drainage system from the Selewu/Bayeku Junction to Ire/Agunfoye Road Junction is over 90% completed while laterite has covered over 1km of the road from Abule Junction to the end of the Exclusive CDA.
Comrade Akin Simeon Oyewo, Chairman, Selewu Estate Central Working Committee which covers 26 CDAs, speaking during the tour commended the project so far and expressed his satisfaction.
“First, I want to appreciate Hon. Babajimi Benson for offering to do this on road for us. Its construction started precisely on December 10th 2024, with duration of 12 months but with the assessment on the ground, it is faster and the contractor is doing very well.
“In just four months, they have reached 52.3% of the project completion.”
Recounting challenges that the community encountered on the project at the initial stage and how they were able to resolve them, the Joint CDA Chairman explained:
“The major problem that we first encountered is that the government doesn’t want to embark on demolition of houses because our people have already encroached, so we encountered situations where our people don’t want to give way for the road.
“By and large, at the end we are able to get the expected length of the road that we want.
“The other challenge is that the engineers said that they want to cover the culvert entrance of the streets, but after appealing to them, they have started that.
“Also, there was the challenge about pole excavations. They may need to remove some poles and replace them but the engineers said that it was not part of their brief, but when the major contractor came, he said that they are going to do everything.
“He said that they are going to remove poles and replace them where necessary.”
Addressing the issue of flooding raised by some other communities, Mr Oyewo, assured that the engineers had agreed to look into the complaints and address the issue where necessary and pronounced the project as going smoothly in his overall assessment.
“Some people complain that the road project has directed flood to their domain and we appealed to the engineers to look into the complaints and create more avenues for water to flow and where they cannot, we will make appeal to the government to come to our aid.
“Overall, the project is going on smoothly with proper supervision by the CDAs and individuals,“ he said.
Another community leader and chieftain of the Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA), Mr Babatunde Afuwape, also commending the federal lawmaker for his contributions to the infrastructural development of Igbogbo described the Selewu Road as a very strategic one.
“I want to commend the efforts of our amiable House of Reps member, Hon. Babajimi Benson. He has been doing very well in terms of infrastructural development.
“The Selewu Road is very strategic in the sense that it leads to many communities and villages like Ire, Agunfoye, Olumo and others and we believe after its completion, it will lead to more economic prosperity in this area and Igbogbo Kingdom at large.”
He assured that the Joint CDA would ensure that the landlords and property owners are not taking undue advantage of the people whenever the road is completed to increase rent arbitrarily.
“We are all aware of the current economic situation and we are all aware that whenever we have a new road and other infrastructural development, rent will increase, but we in this community have a formidable association which we are going to leverage on to appeal to our people that they should not increase rent.
“Even though everybody is trying to find means of survival. We are going to address that so that there would not be arbitrary increment,” he assured.
Mr Adewale Gbadamosi Fatai, Selewu Community leader and Treasurer, Community Development Committee (CDC) Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, in his own submission recalled how the road nearly paralysed the economic activities in Selewu until the intervention of Rep Benson.
He assured that the community has a tested system in place to take ownership of the road when completed and ensure that it is properly maintained.
“The road before now was a pain in the neck. Businesses around here are virtually dead. Economic activities were paralysed. It was in 2021, that we wrote a letter to Hon. Babajimi Benson and we have been doing follow – ups and graciously, he approved and decided to embark on the construction of the road which the whole community is very appreciative of.
“We are organized in Selewu. We have a joint CDA that has been in existence dating back to 2006, which is about 19 years. Before road construction, we usually organise ourselves for development. We engage the community, take care of everything, ensure peaceful relationships among residents, development of the community and the relationship of the community and the government.
“Going forward, to maintain and take ownership of the road will be seamless. We have our own inspection team made up of residents who are engineers that go on a day – to – day inspection of the road. In fact, they work hand – in – hand with the contractor. We have done several engagements with the community to tell them that we need maximum cooperation with the contractor.
“You can see how we have been able to appeal to our people at the other end that the Selewu road construction is not the reason for their flooding problem, rather, the problem has been lingering but we are still going to cooperate with the contractor in seeing how the issue of perennial flooding in that axis would be tackled,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Arowolo Akintunde, Chairman, Exclusive CDA, Selewu and Treasurer, Selewu Estate Central Work Committee described Rep. Benson as a promise keeper while also expressing the community’s appreciation of Rep. Benson’s gesture.
“In fact and indeed, we are so grateful to God Almighty for giving us Hon. Babajimi Benson, who is a man of his words and he proved that to the entire world and Selewu community by fulfilling his pledge. He gave us assurance that Selewu road construction is a done deal and in less than two years of his promise he came in with a contractor for the commencement of the road project.
Precisely, the road project commenced on 22nd of November, 2024 and the flag – off was officially done on 10th of December 2024 and today, 12th of April, 2025, the road is between 55 and 60% complete.”
He said that the road project might be completed in less than six months instead of the 12 months duration period that the project was designed to be handed over.
“We have gotten laterite done covering about 1.5km, stone base placed on them and all that we are waiting for is to have asphalt placed on it.
“Ever since I have been seeing road construction in my lifetime, this is the first time I would see a road construction given a timeframe and they are working within it. They have assured us that project would be completed within the timeframe
“At the pace we are now, we are sure that the project will be completed by the end of May,” he said.
The Resident Engineer on Selewu Road construction, Mr Adeyinka Ajayi Vincent, explained the project work done so far and stated that it has been going on smoothly with the cooperation of the community.
“The construction has been going on smoothly and peacefully. The project work that we have done so far – the drainage work is about to be completed, the earth work has commenced and we have started the stone-based work as well. Very soon, the asphalt work would commence. Everything has been going on smoothly.
“So far, we are in the fourth month of the project and we are working faster than the projection. On or before the projected one – year duration, the project will be completed.
“The community has been very friendly and peaceful. There has not been any issue at all,” the engineer said.
He also assured that the complaints over flooding will also be looked into and addressed.
