By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo
OSOGBO — The Owa of Otan-Ayegbaju in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Lukman Adesola Ojo-Fadipe, has appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to urgently intervene to prevent the total collapse of the Otan-Ayegbaju–Ila-Orangun road
During a recent inspection of the road, critical sections were found to have been severely eroded, while several other stretches had deteriorated considerably, raising concerns among motorists and residents
The road connects Otan-Ayegbaju with Ila-Orangun and serves communities within the area, with motorists also using it to access Ikirun and Osogbo
Speaking on the condition of the road, Oba Ojo-Fadipe identified three locations where flooding had severely undermined the highway, posing risks to motorists and pedestrians
“Vehicle movement is becoming increasingly difficult I am pleading on behalf of the people of Otan-Ayegbaju and the motorists using this road that Governor Ademola Adeleke rescue it before it collapses entirely.
“We need the government to take action now to prevent preventable loss of lives,” the monarch said
He identified one of the critical points as Oke-Ola, where he said the bridge structure was caving in from below
He also cited the Akerekete section, which he described as dangerous for commuters travelling between Ila-Orangun and Otan-Ayegbaju, Ikirun and Osogbo, as well as the Popogbooro axis
“I urge the Osun State Government to immediately dispatch the relevant ministry to site,” he said
The Chairman of the Commercial Motorcycle Riders Union in Boluwaduro LGA, Azeez Fabunmi, attributed the deterioration to recent prolonged torrential rainfall
Fabunmi stressed the economic importance of the road, saying it serves communities in Osun and provides a transit route towards Kogi, Benue and Abuja
“We plead with the government to fix this road to protect the lives of road users from across the country,” he said
A community leader, Amos Sasona, said the damage around the Akerekete bridge had reduced the road to a single lane, making it difficult for two vehicles to pass simultaneously
“If this section gives way completely, transit between Ila-Orangun and Osogbo will come to a total halt,” Sasona warned
“Our main fear is for drivers who are unfamiliar with the terrain, especially at night, as they could easily plunge into the ditch”
Further appeals for urgent intervention were made by transport union representative, Dauda Oyeniyi, and President of the Otan-Ayegbaju Progressive Union, OAPU, Aare Adetunji Mosebolatan
Mosebolatan said the community union had previously funded repairs on internal township roads through self-help initiatives, but argued that the extent of the damage on the major road required government intervention
He urged the state government to act quickly to prevent further deterioration and a possible major accident