Why Badagry People Need Sanwo-Olu’s Magic Wand

BY ANWAN EDIDIONGABASI HENRY

One thing that probably defines Oke-Afo Community in Badagry Local Council Development Area of Lagos State is poor state of roads.

Uneven and gully-ridden roads stretch through the community, connecting streets and retaining water in portholes from every raindrop.

After a few month’ respite, many of the residents say they are bracing up for the coming rains with the usual trepidation and stagnant muddle with their rain boots.

They also add that business and social activities in the area are being threatened by the poor state of the roads as many people are often discouraged from coming to Oke-Afo.

The chairman of Oke-Afo Central Community Development Association (CCDA)  Mr Osuntoki Livinus and Mr Akingbade Tolu say, not even being close to Badagry, Illogbo and Ogun State has given the community respite..

“It is really affecting even those of us who have lands here are not ready to develop it and some that have houses are not even ready to move in.

“Many of us have rain boots in readiness for the rainy season. Once it rains, the whole place is flooded and it will be impossible to bring a car in or out and the only method of transportation is by okada that is dangerous and sometimes when the road is slippery the okada falls and passengers’ are brought down to the mud. That is what we go through every year”, he said.

Community leaders say that several letters to the state government for rehabilitation have only been met with ‘promises after promises’.

After waiting in vain, we have been able to help ourselves with some communal efforts on a few streets spending close to two million naira which is championed by Road Development Partner of Oke-Afo headed by Rev. Dike Johnson.

Oke-Afo road, a makeshift road, incidentally, is the only entrance to the community; and some of the roads that have received  palliatives through communit efforts are Ojogun Road, Pako Junction, Ibereko Road, Idale Illaje linking Ore Ofe and Illogbo Eremi Roads.

Community leaders are however, desperately seeking government’s intervention in the area of amenities, and according to them,  the only visible presence of government since the return of democracy in 1999 is a secondary school.