Residents Call for Urgent Repair of Ogun Road

Thousands of people from communities along the Ijoko-Oyero-Lisa road in Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, are asking President Bola Tinubu to help fix the 10.5-kilometre road. This road connects them to the Lisa Memorial Arcade.

On Saturday, residents organized a peaceful walk to highlight the bad state of the road. More than 40 communities took part in the walk to draw attention to their suffering.

The road was built by the Ogun State Government after the Bellview Airlines Flight 210 crash on October 22, 2005. That crash claimed 117 lives. The road also leads to the Lisa Memorial Arcade, a site to remember the victims.

But now, the residents say the road has become very bad. Movement for cars, businesses, and residents is tough, especially when it rains.

Carrying placards with messages like “President Tinubu, Please Come to Our Aid,” “Our Road Is Bad, Our People Are Suffering,” and “Help Revive Lisa Memorial Arcade,” participants walked through their communities.

The organizers made it clear that this was not a protest. It was a peaceful request for help.

Oba Nojeemdeen Oladele Odugbemi, the Onilisa of Lisa Kingdom, praised the peaceful approach of the residents. He was not in the kingdom during the walk but supported their call for the road to be fixed.

The monarch noted that fixing the road would greatly help the area. He urged the Ogun State Government to act quickly. Better access from Ijoko to Oyero and Lisa would help local businesses and improve life for residents.

Oba Odugbemi also asked for repairs to the Lisa Memorial Arcade. He called it a site of national importance that should be well-preserved and easier for families and visitors to access.

High Chief Akeem Kolawole, the Baale of Arugudu, emphasized that the communities want to work with the government, not fight against it.

He said, “Our appeal is for the government to look in our direction and help us. We know there are many demands on the government. We pray that God will empower the government to meet these needs.

“If this road is fixed, it will bring relief to our people, boost businesses, and open up this area for more development.”

Community leaders Sobogun Olakunle and Yisau Olaniyi said more than 40 communities joined in the walk to show how important the road is to them.

They pointed out that this area is in the Ogun Central Senatorial District and Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency. It is home to over 30,000 residents, many of whom moved from Lagos State to set up their homes and businesses.

They believe that if the road is repaired, it could become a key economic route. It could connect through Olayemi to the Mowe-Ibafo area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

This connection would make it easier to move people and goods, attract investment, and develop the growing communities along the road.

Another community leader, Alli Daud, said the bad road has caused many problems. Transportation costs have gone up, and drivers often have to pay for vehicle repairs.

Daud asked President Tinubu to step in, especially since the road leads to the Lisa Memorial Arcade, a site of national importance.

He mentioned that fixing the road and the memorial would help draw visitors while honoring the memory of the 117 victims of the Bellview crash.

The residents are urging both the Federal and Ogun State governments to see the road as an important project. They believe fixing it will ease transport, support businesses, encourage property development, and improve links between communities.

They hope that the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure plans will include their request. They stressed that the Peace Walk was to get the authorities' attention about their needs.

The residents insist their demand is not about confrontation. They want a road that can reconnect communities, improve lives, and unlock the economic potential of the Oyero-Lisa area.