For residents of Ijeododo community in Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, the road connecting the community with Iba/Mile2-Badagry Expressway is very important.
Unfortunately, it remains an eyesore, especially when it rains, and almost impassable. Worse still, commercial vehicle operators, including motorcyclists hike fares to the detriment of the people.
It is for this reason that they are appealing to the state government to help construct the road.
The Baale of the community tucked in between Ijegun and FESTAC Town, Chief Jelili Ododo, stated this in an interview with The Nation.
He said the delay in constructing the road is posing a major problem to the community, an upcoming urbanised town. He wondered what is delaying the government since, according to him; the construction of the road has been approved, urging expeditious action.
He said the road becomes worse when it rains, making it almost impassable to residents, especially pupils and students with the attendant increase in fares.
To ameliorate the situation, the High Chief said he has had to pay for the grading of the road intermittently. The Nation learnt the owner of a grader charges N150,000 and with two working daily for a week, it is a huge. Ododo confirms this, saying: “I did not ask the residents to pay me back. You can verify that from them.”
Painfully, after three months, the road would return to its bad state.
“Only when the road is tarred will the problem stop,” he said. Still, he would not stop taking it as his priority. The interest of the people is what is of paramount to him, he added.
Chief Ododo, who is the Oba-elect of Ijeododo Kingdom, disclosed that the issue of encroachment on the right of way by some landlords, which initially made the government to stay action on construction of the road, had been settled by the court.
Ododo, who praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for approving the road for construction, therefore appealed to him not to forget them.
Politically, he said his people are progressives and have been in that camp right from the days of the Action Congress through to the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that they have always voted. He, therefore, sees no reason why they should not be allowed to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
Former Central Working Committee (CWC) chairman, Olatunji Lawson, supported the High Chief. He recalled that in 2021, “Some disgruntled elements” sought an injunction to stop the construction. However, it was vacated in October 2021 and the community was agog by the development, hoping that work would soon commence on the road. But this was not to be.
On the demolition of houses, he said it was a mistake by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) at one of their boundaries with FESTAC. He noted that it was an error because the government encroached on their land. He reiterated his blame on the government for the action, saying that even if it wanted to acquire the land, it was the wrong way to do so.
“If the government wants to acquire the land, it should be for the overall interest of the people. Even then, you have to call a town hall meeting to discuss the issue. There was no such thing. Also, there were no notices from the government to the community on the affected houses. Suddenly, we saw bulldozers and they levelled the houses. If we had held a meeting, the matter would have been resolved. We believe the government is not behind the demolition.”
On his part, the councillor, Ward A, Iba LCDA, Kabir Ododo, also appealed to the government to expedite action on the road. He said the community is strategic as it has boundaries with Iba, FESTAC, Ijagemo, Ijegun, and Amuwo Odofin.
“We are in the centre of these thriving communities,” he stressed.