With population blowing out of proportion, Ikorodu Division is now facing challenges of metropolitan cities in the world and needs urgent attention from the state government to salvage its inhabitants. The road network in Ikorodu is not only in deplorable state but endangers people’s lives and businesses. As it is right now, there is no good road in the Ikorodu metropolis as vehicles breaks down in craters on virtually every main street of the town.
Slight rainfall brings regular terrible scenes of ghetto and shanties as there are regular laminar and turbulent floods on roads. Floods that sweep light vehicles and throw them off balance. Long traffics within backstreets causing hours of traffic congestion now characterised the town.
Major road networks linking Ikorodu Round-about to suburbs are all eyesore and in sorry conditions. The Ikorodu-Ebute road is punctuated by large road craters and terrible bumps which punctures tires. There is always traffic congestion on the route on daily basis. Though, traffic officials are doing their best but they can’t make up for the ugly situation of the road. The Sekumade Road is notorious for potholes and ugly bumps.
The Ogolonto-Ogijo route is another major link through which commuters ply Ikorodu, mainland and Ogun state. The road leads residents to Sagamu and other suburbs like Odonguyan, Odo-Kekere and other settlements. This major road has being in critical condition for over ten years now and reconstruction work on the road has been a snail movement since decade ago. That axis has recorded more road accidents than other roads which has claimed lives on several occasion. The steep slope before the Laspotech First-gate has been a death trap which has claimed many lives till the Babatunde Fashola elevated the road and created a minor tunnel.
The condition of the road has not changed for good, instead most parts of the roads has continue to degenerate into jagged bumps which jerk vehicles and people like they were being subjected to drilling machine.
During dry season, the Odogunyan-Ogijo road is always clouded in smoke of dust and makes breathing difficult to people. People suffering from cardiac ailments are always scared to travel on the road whenever the rainy season ends, making it the most dangerous road in Ikorodu, regardless of the season.
The Agic-Bus stop axis has a major road which links to the Lagos-Ibadan express road, but is not in good condition. Vehicles could barely transport residents to their abodes. There was effort by the state government to tar the road six years ago, but everything came to a halt for no credible reason. Inhabitants of the area are living on the mercy of commercial bike riders.
The Ikorodu-Imota route is another popular axis where thousands of Lagosians flocked to reside in recent time. The road leads to Agbowa where the Lagos State Government is building a major market to accommodate the new Mile 12 market and the new site for the state agricultural project. The road which leads to Ijebu-Ode is also plied by inter-state transporters who travel from Lagos to the South-East and South-South of Nigeria.
The road was constructed since the time Obafemi Awolowo and was built without drainage system. With the huge residential and human presence on that axis, the bumps and potholes has widen so much that people now wait for up to one hour to get to Ikorodu Garage.
The flood on the road during rainfall always leave many sections of the road in pool of dirty water. At every rainfall, the road becomes so congested that commercial vehicles doubles their fares and bike men who has been officially banned, troupe about billing commuters for short trips at exorbitant rates.
People living on this axis practically wait for vehicles for one hour and thirty minutes just to get to Bus terminal in Ikorodu terminal. In a bid to meet up with work, they often paid bike men and tricycles excess prices.
The Ikorodu-Ijede route is another major road in the metropolis which leads to towns housing hundredth of thousands. The road is full of terrible potshots which makes travelling on it a nightmare. Commercial vehicles charges two hundred naira just from Ikorodu Garage to Ijede-Ewu-Elepe. Bike men use the road as their gold spot as they charge heavily for taking commuters to short distances because they know most vehicles would not risk plying the road. Ijede is a strategic town which provides seaports and waters for Lagosians and connects Ajah, Lekki and Epe to Ikorodu. The waterways linking these Islands to Ikorodu needs to be complemented by good roads. Besides, Ijede housed one of Lagos State electricity power station in Egbin. The adjoining town of Egbin is a main power station which could serve a huge chunk of the state when in full operation, yet bad road is making life difficult in this part of the metropolis.
The Bayeku-Igbogbo road is a link between the coastal towns and the Islands of Lekki, Ajah, and Sand fill. The road there is nothing to write home about. The bumpy ride to these coastal towns is sickening and hazardous to human health.
The Ibeshe-Ikorodu route which seem to have a fair proportion of good road has fall under the list of the deplorable roads, as new potholes and jagged bumps are spreading. Along the Ibeshe Road were abandoned government estates which could house thousands of people. This projected started by the Babatunde Fashola administration will bring succor to the people if the Sanwo-Olu administration could complete them and rehabilitate the road. The town interiors are not spared from the bad roads as these inner streets are showing signs of strains. The Oriwu College Road along Igbogbo Road has never been so bad in the history of Ikorodu. The only good pieces of road in the entire Ikorodu division are the Ayangburen Road and the Ota-Ona road, yet they are short distances.
Most workers who have private cares are so frustrated by the road harsh condition that they started parking their cars on inner streets to board bikes and commercial tricycle to work. After many got tired of replacing and fixing shock absorbers of their cars and replacing tires over and over, it became clear their situation has no remedy till the road is fixed.
Emergency case of ambulance with critically ill or injured people will end in sorrow with the road situation in Ikorodu. Early this year, a man hit by stray bullet died in the ambulance when the ambulance crew ran out of oxygen gas while they were stuck in the Ikorodu road for hours. Many workers who believe driving a four-wheel-drive on the Ikorodu roads will save their situation, are also fed-up of constant servicing of these SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) and are finding it difficult to maintain them due to deplorable roads.
Other roads that are in dire need of government attention across Ikorodu division are Oba Sekumade Road, Isawo-Agric Road, Powerline (Eyita) Road, Obafemi Awolowo Road, Igbogbo, Igbe Road and Gberigbe Road.
History has shown that leadership is about solving common problem of the masses, and a popular leader is one who meets need of the masses at a time of despair. The classic Greek character, Oedipus Rex did not wage war to become king of the people of Thebes, he came in at a time the city-state needed savior from their calamity and his name was etched in history book. The Ikorodu indigenes and settlers alike, are in despair of the road situation and it’s affecting their health, income, time and family lives, they need the governor’s timely intervention. The people do not need the governor to give them cash-handout, neither are they looking for free food.
The Ikorodu people are in critical time, the people need good road and it is a matter of emergency which will save a lot of damages.
In fact if this means changing political appointments of indigenous Ikorodu people in the state politics for giving them good roads, the people will be eternally grateful to Sanwo-Olu-Hamzat administration. After all the few political appointees only favour their circus, the good of the masses is much desired right now. Though, it is not the fault of the current dispensation, the people are appealing to Governor Sanwo-Olu to intervene in the dire road problem which has plunged the people of Ikorodu into a near-hell situation.