APPARENTLY, many Nigerians are not aware that the 25-kilometre Shagamu-Ogijo-Mosinmi-Ikorodu Road was the first major expressway that linked Lagos State, the commercial nerve of the nation, to other states and indeed, other West Africa countries.

 Constructed in 1962 by the Western Region government, before the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was built under the military administration, the road has served as the major route from Lagos through Shagamu, Ogijo and Ikorodu. But today, the same road, which is an alternative route to Lagos, apart from Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, remains a shadow of itself.

  As some of the road -users put it: “It is appalling that the once vibrant road remains without any major maintenance for over 51 years, after its construction.”

  It is, indeed, a road that depicts rot in the entire country, “where necessary and vibrant institutions are left to rot.”

 According to a commercial driver, Salisu Ajayi, “The Shagamu-Ogijo-Mosinmi-Ikorodu Road could be best described as a death trap, where  many have died, property worth billions of naira destroyed and several man hours wasted in harrowing traffic, all due to its deplorable state.”

  Unfortunately, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) is at present carrying out some palliative repair of the road, “Is that what we need now on a road that is in a total state of collapse?” a road-user asked.

 Many commuters plying the road, while commending the Federal Government for reconstructing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with an additional one lane, expressed dissatisfaction over the complete neglect of Shagamu-Ogijo-Mosinmi-Ikorodu Road. To majority of them: “There is nothing to rejoice over because the additional one lane will soon take us back to where we were.”

 The growing population, new property, which now spread from Ikorodu through Odogunyan, Ogijo, Simawa,

Mosinmi to Shagamu towns, bring to question: “Why should any nation, which cares about the well-being and security of her citizens and development, abandon such strategic and important road to become an eyesore and a death trap?”

 Recurrent disaster and pains commuters go through while plying the roads reveal that at any drop of rainfall, numerous portions of the road, would become  a “sea”. 

  “From Odogunyan to PZ, Itaoluwo, Ogijo to Lukosi are overtaken by flood. Vehicular movements also become impossible. Many calamities befall commuters on the road as school children were sometimes swept by floodwater.

 On June 10, two children were reportedly swept away by the flood along the road.”

  Describing another portion of the road, which a commuter referred to as ‘junction of disaster’ a few meters before Ogijo Bus Stop, Ogun State axis, a tanker driver, Rafiu Aremu, said: “Hardly a week would pass away without one or two tankers loaded with fuel or other articulated vehicle somersaulting here due to the bad state.”

  [b]The Guardian further gathered that on several ocassions, many articulated vehicles had rolled back and crushed vehicles coming behind while trying to climb the hilly part of the road.

 A pregnant woman was once crushed to death inside her car when a tanker that was trying to climb one of the hilly parts of the road rolled back and crushed her.[b]  Some federal and state institutions situated along the axis include the Lagos State Polytechnic, Lagos State Farm Estate, PZ, Lagos Waste to Wealth Fertilizer Company, Larfarge Cement Company among others.

 These explain the density of population and vehicular moment on the road.

  The lawmaker representing Ikorodu in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who spoke with The Guardian on the state of the road, said it was disheartening to see a road like this in Nigeria in 21st Century.   

 Dabiri-Erewa added that the lawmakers representing Lagos and Ogun states were not resting on their oars in the National Assembly.

   The Senator, representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Gbenga Ashafa also described the state of road as appalling. 

Meanwhile, two years ago the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) intervened by constructing a link road from Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to the Shagamu-Ogijo-Mosinmi-Ikorodu Road through Lotus-Simawa-Lukosi, which has given motorists and road –users some relief.  

ochukoccna: Thanks to the OP who started this thread which is something I sought to do earlier
This particular road was mentioned by Gov Amosun when the President came to launch the reconstruction of Lagos Ibadan Road to which the president said his Works minister would look into it
Even before that rumours abounded that CCECC who are working on the Ikorodu Town-Mile 12 road would fix it and get paid by Lagos and Ogun state govts
I do not want to get needlessly involved in the FG/LASG road brouhaha on repairing this road seeing LASG stopped fixing FG roads under OBJ
I call people to remember the politics that trailed FERMA under the Ministry of Works [headed then by a Lagosian Ogunlewe who is incidentally from Ikorodu] and Tinubu
Also the fireworks between FERMA and LASG regarding the currently been rebuilt Ikorodu Town-Mile 12 road
Currently FERMA is working on that road, but for how long
I was in a BRT bus last week on this road when an old man called a FERMA official 'useless Federal government'
Harsh words you might say
Last year the president gave an order to the ministry of Works to make FG motor able for Christmas [If the FG roads were in good condition, would such a charge have come,I digress]
FERMA moved unto this road LAST YEAR SEPTEMBER 2012
Almost 12 calender months on working on this road, this is the best we have gotten
In saner climes someone would have been sacked or sued but I guess this is the FRESH AIR we must live with in this season of life

delpee: Its e federal road though Lagos and Ogun state govts can work on it for their peoples sake.

Omexonomy: All the money being pour into media hype by this governors can be use for reconstructing that road to fifty lanes for the benefit of the people in those state that collect large amount of tenement rate developmental fees and all sort of pay this pay that.

I-B.:


Yes, they should work together in constructing the road and not just waiting for the Federal government.

seanet02: . You probably have forgotten how the federal government is trying to scuttle Amosun's efforts on the federal roads in Ogun

Mr Aboki: Meanwhile, all these Yoruba tribal warriors would not cease to shout 'Eko oni Baje'.. Look at your state.

I foresee Lagos ending up like Detroit.. #Bankrupt for spending all their money on Tinubus mothers burial, State parties, Owambe and Aso-ebi instead of fixing the state.

$£yi:


Very true, Ijebu-Ode road comes to mind. But what's the essence of stopping the state government from constructing federal roads that the federal government is not doing anything about?

Mr Aboki: Meanwhile, all these Yoruba tribal warriors would not cease to shout 'Eko oni Baje'.. Look at your state.

I foresee Lagos ending up like Detroit.. #Bankrupt for spending all their money on Tinubus mothers burial, State parties, Owambe and Aso-ebi instead of fixing the state.

Mr Aboki: Meanwhile, all these Yoruba tribal warriors would not cease to shout 'Eko oni Baje'.. Look at your state.

I foresee Lagos ending up like Detroit.. #Bankrupt for spending all their money on Tinubus mothers burial, State parties, Owambe and Aso-ebi instead of fixing the state.

Godson201333:


You lack common sense!

D sage:

Like someone say,you really lack common sense. Are you so blind to see that the road belong to FG?

Omexonomy: please sir i beg to differ you are the one that lack comon sense. Tinubu spent over N150 million to bury his mother. Fashole buried his father in a grave yard and he is encouraging people to cremate their love ones

D sage:

Like someone say,you really lack common sense. Are you so blind to see that the road belong to FG?

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr. Common Sense.. Its a Federal Government road, so lets leave it to continue reducing the population of Nigerians. Mr. Common Sense, If Lagos State government emulates the likes of Amaechi & Apkabio who build F.G roads in their state and collect the refunds from the government, Eko will Baje. Mr. Common Sense, Lets wait for eternity for the Federal Government in Abuja that has over 5000 roads Nationwide to think about to come fix this road for us, while more people die on that road by drowning. ARGH!! Mr Common Sense, now I get it.. If the road remains like this, its a win win for Lagosians, Every death = Aso-Ebi and Owambe, Every spoilt car = employmemnt for mechanics, Every stuck car = Money for touts, every dead person = one less mouth for LASG to worry about..

I love your common Sense mr. common Sense.

Godson201333:

Even though i am not there,I heard that Fashola has started constructing Ketu-Ikorodu highway..do you know it also belongs to federal?what about Mile 2--Badagry highway?Do you know it belongs to federal?

The federal government aint doing anything,Take a look at Sango-Oshodi highway,Oh Nigeria what a pity!

Ikorodu-Ijebu Ode highway is another death trap that we mention...

YesBosss:

Okija Juju, That road is a federal road, but its better the Ogun and Lagos state government should join hands together to repair that road, no time

Bros.. Please who is Okija Juju..

Mr Aboki: Meanwhile, all these Yoruba tribal warriors would not cease to shout 'Eko oni Baje'.. Look at your state.

I foresee Lagos ending up like Detroit.. #Bankrupt for spending all their money on Tinubus mothers burial, State parties, Owambe and Aso-ebi instead of fixing the state.