Hannah Anthony
The residents of Lambe Town have been living with the effects of a worsening road for the past 23 years. Their pleas for the rehabilitation of these deteriorating roads have fallen on deaf ears, leaving the community in a state of despair. This is detailed follow story to this
Olambe town, a tale of woes
A good network of roads plays a climactic role in elevating the overall quality of life for resilient individuals and the vulnerable- including children who call these places home. For Lambe, it is a tale of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential, where lack of decent road transport infrastructure serves as a stifling force, holding back the dreams and aspirations of those who yearn for a brighter future.
Olambe Town, or Lambe as the locals affectionately call it, is nestled in the heart of the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State- having had 16 administrations, since 1976-, and embodies the struggles faced by countless towns in Nigeria.
For over 23 years’ residents continue yearning for better days. Early 2023, a few weeks before the general elections, the Akute-Alapara junction experienced an unexpected act of patriotism after a decade of neglect by the government.
In a stunning display of financial prowess, the Ogun State Road Management Agency secured a whopping #204,650,700.00 for the Lambe, Oke Aro capital road project, as dictated by the Year 2013 Appropriation Law. Not stopping there, they also managed to secure an impressive #116,379,310.35 for the Akute township roads.
These numbers speak volumes about the dedication and commitment of Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s plan for road infrastructure during his first tenure, 2011 – 2015. Until the year 2019, the Akute-Olambe-Giwa road network was a nightmare. Despite the demolition exercises that engulfed people’s homes and turned them homeless, bad roads still glare at the residents. Yet, the incomplete Giwa Road and the flyover bridge have never received any further attention.
Year after year, resounding choruses of pleas echo. Both landlords and residents unite in their frustration, yearning for a much-needed transformation of the crumbling roads that have long plagued their daily lives.
Some of the communities our correspondent visited include Purposeful, Lambe Junction Road connecting Lambe Inside, Akeredolu Road, Odo-Epo, Oko-Filling, Ore-Metta and Akinbo Road. Speaking with our correspondent, a resident of the Akeredolu community, Promise Boluwatife, a UNILAG student, said that Lambe is a peaceful place but residing in Olambe is becoming difficult due to the bad roads and the people are seeking a lasting solution to the persistently dilapidated road conditions in the community.
The particles of dust in the air distributed by passing vehicles, and strong winds, create a dusty and dirty environment during the dry season. “From my street down to Akeredolu Town hall leads to Oko-Filling, the majority of the streets are of dry dusty mud. The dust in that area is more than the ones we experience here.”
Another resident, a Landlady, Mrs Emmanuel Aiegbena added, “In my area at Oko-Filling, we prefer the dry season to the rainy season. Our roads are hilly, they have twists and turns and are stressful when walking on.
“When it rains all activities standstill, and many people don’t open their shops for weeks. We usually stock our houses with foodstuffs before the rainy season. Going out of our houses has always been a problem during the rainy season.” Aiegbena said that children are also affected, adding that the surrounding areas have deep gorges which pose significant safety risks. So, the children are not allowed to engage in outdoor activities beyond the confines of their residences.
“Many house owners who work outside Lambe had abandoned their houses and rented apartments in Lagos. Our children, when going to school, take extra pairs of rubber sandals along and change at their school gates because the road is all muddy” she added.
Mr Olayinka Onigbinde, the Group Area Secretary of Saint Lucy Community,Olambe, Ogun State.
In an exclusive interview with a committee member, the Group Area Secretary of the Olambe Saint Lucy Community Development Committee, Mr Olayinka Onigbinde, it was revealed that the communities had severally lodged formal complaints with the Ogun State Ministry of Environment before the end of the previously led government.
In response, officials from the Ministry of Environment inspected Lambe Junction road and made a solemn promise to rehabilitate the roads stretching from Akute-Ijoko to Lambe Junction connecting Giwa road. To the dismay of the residents, however, the ministry’s efforts were short-lived after the demolition of numerous houses depicted as necessary”
Community initiatives
“The communities have resorted to self-help. Everything we do here is based on communal effort right from the installation of electricity poles to the procurement of transformers, road patching and repairs, and the establishment of drainages, among others.”
“This is one of the reasons why a toll system was introduced and began in Lambe in the year 2020 by the Chairman of the Lambe Area Development Committee, Comrade Ganiyu Omolade while Alhaji Wole Odedosu heads the Lambe Road Development Committee as the Chairman.”
“The road committee employed men and women in the community for the collection #50 each as toll fee from motorists and cyclists daily. The proceeds are being used judiciously for the road repair projects which would not have been necessary if the government had done the needful.” He said further, “Taking decisive action, we had to tackle the challenge head-on and the results are now a little better than previous years. To some extent, the committees and residents’ efforts and the proceeds from the toll gate are helping to lessen the burden of commuting along the neglected Lambe Road to a certain degree when compared to the past two years’ experiences.”
“Lambe town’s road projects are enormous and need the intervention of the Ogun State Government. We are confident that good roads will have a significant positive impact on environmental sustainability in Lambe town.” “We urge the Ogun State Government to fulfil the promises made to us and help repair all Lambe community roads and inner streets for the wellbeing and prosperity of our town so that we can live peacefully, ” he added.
In 2011, Lambe residents were elated when Governor Amosun was elected as he had good promises for them during campaigns. In a bold and visionary move to transform the very fabric of the state’s roads, new designs for road construction were made and some steps taken which led to the demolition of many of buildings in the area to pave way for road constructions. In 2015, Akute road was partly constructed with the reconstruction of the Alarapa Road via Ishashi Road. Governor Dapo Abiodun completed the job. This brought development to the area as many businesses kicked off.
Along the Akute Alagbole road, several businesses like micro and macro enterprises, private schools, and three banks can be seen, with shops scattered across, running their businesses.
Our correspondent visited the community, speaking with a business owner, Happiness Enoho about the new face of Akute compared to previous years, ” Akute is now a marketplace. Before the year 2022, Akute roads used to be bad. Amosun began the construction of the bridge, levelled the road with stones and left everything halfway.” Last year, Dapo Abiodun attended to us and repaired the Ishahi road and we are enjoying it now”
Different administrations and blame games …
In a stunning revelation, the year 2022 has brought to light the alarming state of affairs in the Ogun State infrastructure saga, the administration of Dapo Abiodun and concerned stakeholders pointing fingers at the past administration for its lacklustre investment efforts. Adding that, the majority of the projects in the area were unnecessary, only reinforcing a burden to the people and the state by leaving other important roads in the area unattended to.
Engineer Ade Akinsanya, Ogun State Commissioner of Works maintained “The consequences of the past administration’s ambition have manifested in a staggering debt burden on road projects, leaving the current administration grappling with the aftermath”, Aside from this, “The Dapo Abiodun administration inherited an outstanding debt of N202 Billion from the Amosun government on roads alone.” Akinsanya concluded
What is the hope of Lambe, Agbole Akute residents?
Amidst the chaos, one cannot help but question the rationale behind the demolitions carried out by the Amosun administration. These demolitions, now deemed unnecessary by the Abiodun administration, have only added fuel to the fire.
Could the criticism be a result of the different political ideologies and priorities of the present and past administrations or as the result of the different political artisan opposing the party’s actions and policies or downplaying or simply undermining the achievements of their predecessors to make their accomplishments more significant?
As the saga unfolds, the eyes of the people are fixed on Ogun State, waiting with bated breath to see if the subsequent administration can deliver on its promises.
The stakes are high, and the journey ahead is fraught with obstacles. Only time will tell if the Dapo Abiodun administration can rise to the challenge and salvage the state of this infrastructure debacle in Lambe Town as its communities are beckoning on the administration’s promises for the rehabilitation of its depleting roads.
*Hannah Anthony, a Development Journalist, and Fellow of Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals, as Part of the Requirement for Media Entrepreneurship Fellow Training
Excellent reporting. Writer demonstrated good knowledge of what she wrote about. Article is highly informative and educational. Keep it up.