Odunbaku: Ogun community yearns for infrastructure

For years they have played host to uncountable number of politicians, who routinely besiege them soliciting for votes in the build up to elections.

In the course of these electioneering campaigns, many promises are made by politicians. And because of the squalid nature of the environment, which residents of Iju Ishaga, Odunbaku Street, Abekoko, in Isheri Akute LCDA, Ogun State live in, a lot have been said about helping them put in place sustainable infrastructure.

But till this moment, their lot has not changed, just as their infrastructure needs have remained unchanged despite promises.

Put differently, they are yet to enjoy the promised dividends of democracy, especially in the area of road construction.

In a chat withThe Guardian, the secretary of the community, Mr. Adisa, said the only access road that links the community with other parts of the state, as well as, Lagos State remains in a bad condition.

Describing the daily experiences of community members, Adisa said using the road constitutes a traumatic experience.

He explained that the community has met with officials of Ifo Local Council to intervene, but all efforts have proved abortive.

According to him, due to years of neglect, the community still lacks basic infrastructure, including good roads, potable water and medical facilities.

Venturing into the community, the access road is in a very bad state. The road, which passes through a natural waterway, has been badly ravaged by floodwater, creating craters and making it impossible for motorists to find their way into the community. Other roads within the community suffer the same fate.

Over the years, the residents have, through self-help, repaired and maintained this link road that serves many other communities in the area.

Adisa, therefore, called on the state government to come to their aid and repair the link road, as well as, other roads in the community.

The former chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA), Mr. Ogundele Olayinka, said for more than 20 years, vehicles are parked outside the community.

He said during the rainy season every year, lives are lost to floodwater.

On their expectations from government he said: “What we expect the governor of Ogun State to do on roads in this community is to, at least, make them motorable in order to alleviate our sufferings, and better the lot of Odunbaku residents. I plead with the local council chairman and the state governor to come to our rescue because our roads have become death traps.

“The government keeps on sending delegations to the community every year, but at the end of the day nothing happens. I even remember that there was a year that government asked a contractor to do an estimate on the road construction. This was after so many letters had been written to the local council, and the only thing they did was to send the community N100, 000. I don’t know what the N100, 000 thousand can do in this community.”