Neglected roads: Have Ogun-Lagos border communities been abandoned by the government?

Guardian Nigeria

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00:00In what appears to be a reoccurring pattern, road conditions in the Ogun-Lagos border

00:18communities remain in an extremely poor state. Areas such as Ayetoro, Italy via Mopou Junction,

00:26Ajegule Agbedeviya Itaolo Wobostop, Okiaro Ijoko Axis and the Songo Otter Axis are among the worst affected.

00:36Residents have continued to lament the daily orders they face while commuting on these roads.

00:43They are calling on the government from the local, state and federal levels to come to their aid

00:49and ease the burden on the people.

00:51I am living in this Ayetoro over 20 years now and you don't have to give anything good.

00:59Nothing good comes out of this place.

01:01Even though this business that I am doing, even though before I can see maybe 10,000 naira

01:07in a day, the cost of the road, especially if we fall like this, nobody can be able to

01:13pass this side again.

01:14If you can look at that land, that bridge, that bridge side, that place needs to be free.

01:20Nobody can pass.

01:21Even though it's, if people is from that side, this place, Mopou cannot be able to pass here

01:26again.

01:27We have to please, we beg the government to see us through, to help us so that we serve,

01:34because of this our business, so that we can see something to eat with our children.

01:40The dire state of roads in the Ogun-Lagos border communities paint a troubling picture of neglect

01:47and hardship for residents, who endure daily struggles just to navigate these routes.

01:54This reoccurring issue highlights a broader challenge of poor infrastructure maintenance

01:58that continues to burden local commuters.

02:02This road, it's a bad, we're not a player, we're going to see us, because we're giving

02:11us a tough time to go out, to go out and join us, and most of the sudden, we get this

02:19way to come over, we're going to get this path.

02:22So, this road has been like this, because I'm here now, I've only been here for two years.

02:29Ever since I've had this place, this road has been like this.

02:33So, what we're going to do for us, this road is the purpose, because we people that live

02:38here, we don't have to go out the road, so we cannot move out.

02:43So, in the carer house, we'll be black, that's it.

02:46This road has been barred for like 30 years, and I met this road like me before I stay in

02:52here to leave my house.

02:55This road is a very, very bad road, and many people are able to go to another place because

03:03of this road.

03:04Most of the people have sold their car because of this road.

03:08I remember the day when I was coming from work, and really now fall, it cannot be there,

03:15I cannot even enter my house because of this road.

03:19Everywhere is scattered, every car has been damaged, everything, I have paid for the, for

03:27all my people to, to help us to, eh, to help us to pay the government, to do something about

03:34it.

03:35I want the government to help people living in this environment, it's part of Obu state.

03:41You can see many, many areas, many, many roads, you know, we say that the government has

03:45done.

03:46We want them to remember us here, we want them to see, we want them to see, we say that

03:50we help the community.

03:51We say we will help many people, many businesses will enter the community, but because of this

03:57road is not good, many people are not, they are not ready to work here, they are not ready

04:02to do any business here.

04:03I moved in here, 1st of April, and since then I have been, this road has been a mess,

04:13really messy, seriously.

04:15Our call to the government is just, for them to just grade this road and fix this road,

04:21at least for easy movement.

04:25There are a lot of trucks, trucks are the, these trucks, building material trucks, those

04:31are the ones oiling this road, more majorly.

04:34So we call all the government to help us and fix this road, because this road is a, is a,

04:43is an intermediary from, from this little junction down to the other side, you can link to a,

04:47I agree straight down, but the road is very, very bad, as you can see.

04:51We help us and fix this road, because a whole lot of people are really strong there.

04:59So, eh, Eh, I juggle a, I juggle a road, to Eucalyu.

05:03I've only £370,000 almost 7 years old.

05:05Every year, when it starts, we start talking about the road, and now I just packed my car for the house,

05:11because of this road, because every day you move the car in this road to Yoittanu,

05:16you must give me a little problem, but there are some, that's why I parked the car for the house.

05:22As the residents, please, echo from local offices to the state

05:52government, particularly along the Ogo axis, the urgency for actionable solutions grows louder.

06:00Without swift and effective intervention, the worsening road conditions risk further

06:05isolating these communities, deepening both their economic and social challenges.

06:11And one question on the minds of many is this, have the border communities of Ogo state

06:18been abandoned? If yes, why? Only time will tell if the authorities will act to elevate this pressing

06:27burden. Stay tuned to Guardian TV for more on this developing story. We will continue to bring you

06:35updates, voices from the ground and accountability every step of the way.

06:48Thank you so much.

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