The traditional rulers and the people of Ogotun Ekiti, Ikeji Ile and Ira in Osun and Ekiti states have voiced out their grievances on the poor states and deplorable conditions of the roads linking them to Ipetu Ijesa in Osun State.
They are demanding for something very urgent to be done to bring the incessant roads accidents and other dangers caused by the roads to their users to an end.
The three high ranking traditional rulers of Ogotun Ekiti (Ologotun of Ogotun), Ikeji Ile (Onikeji of Ikeji Ile) and Ira Ikeji (Olura of Ira Ikeji) in Osun State have all called on the governments of Osun and Ekiti States to rise up immediately to fix the deplorable roads linking the two States.
They also called on the Federal Government and all lovers of the masses in the Private Sector to come to the aid of these three communities to invest and help them fix the roads that have led to the premature deaths of many of the residents and travelers plying the road in question.
When Parrot Xtra/PMParrotNg contacted the Ologotun of Ogotun Ekiti, Oba Oladapo Oyebade who is an Ekiti traditional ruler sharing boundary with Ikeji Ile and Ira Ikeji in Osun State, he expressed his displeasure and concerns over the poor attitude of the Ekiti and Osun State Governments.
Oba Oladapo Oyebade who revealed that his enthronement which was approved by the then Ondo State Government on the 2nd of April, 1985 and was ceremoniously inaugurated to assume the throne on the 18th of May, 1985 has able to open his eyes to the lackadaisical dispositions of the governments of both Ekiti and Osun States to the plights of the masses and of the communities whose lands are being ravaged by insecurity as a result of poor access roads linking them to other neighbouring communities around them.
Oba Oladapo Oyebade explained that as a result of the absence of government’s presence in their communities and those ones around them, his predecessors on the throne deliberately gave away part of the Ogotun Ekiti lands to the neighbouring communities and other strangers from Abia State, Osogbo in Osun State and Ibadan in Oyo State to farm and settle.
The Kabiyesi recounted how it was very difficult and tough for him calling them to order and retrieving the lands from the strangers among them at that time.
He said that generating funds to cater for some of the needs of the Ogotun people was only possible when the Court actually ruled that the lands given out to the strangers should be returned to the rightful owners and ordered them to be paying tributes (Isakoles) to the Ogotun Ekiti people.
The Ologotun stated further that when he came on the throne, some of his High Chiefs were complete illiterates whose ideas and views were extremely alien to his dream and vision for the Ogotun Community. He said his association with the educated youths in and outside the town was misconstrued by some of his High Chiefs as an attempt to hedge them out of relevance to replace them.
Said the monarch “For sometime, we were at loggerheads, but miraculously, God helped us to clear the air at the time. It was then the people of the Community started asking for the legacies of the government for them”.
According to the Ologotun, first of the legacy of the government of the Old Ondo State was the commissioning of a water project embarked upon during the interregnum but the water project could not provide any water because of the fact that the pumping station was located at IgbaraOdo Ekiti. He explained how battery problem became the reason why water could not be generated to the Ogotun community at the time. He espoused how he used to make use of his vehicle’s battery to pump water before the people of Ogotun could have water in the community.
The Ologotun continued “the pumping station was located at Igbara Odo Ekiti because of ordinary battery. When the battery runs out, there would be no water at Ogotun Ekiti. At times, I will go there and I will surrender the battery of my car, they will use it to start the water pumping machine and pump water for some time and give me my battery back. Then, we would have water for some time. I was doing that. At times, I would buy battery for them. So, we were having water.
“Later on, electricity project was abandoned. Then, somebody suggested to me that I should ask the town to contribute money to give to government so that they can assist us to complete it in good time. We donated money. They completed it and commissioned it.
“Then, later on, again, there was the European Union (EU) efforts to supply water to some towns in Ekiti. Ogotun happened to be one of the places chosen. We were asked to contribute counterpart funds. We looked for N7.5 million as our own counterpart funds contributions. The local governments made theirs. The State government and the Federal government made their own contributions as well before the European Union (EU) did. The people of Ogotun asked for a dam. They were not satisfied with a borehole. That was why our counterpart fund went up to N7.5million. We still run that water project till today”.
During the course of interacting with the Ologotun, he reiterated that the roads to the Ogotun farmsteads have not been motorable since he assumed his throne in 1985 and as a result, his community people have been finding it extremely very difficult to transport their farm produce to the market. ‘Most of the times, the farmers trekked and use motorbikes for transportation.”
The monarch said “our location as a community has adversely affected our progress. It took us a very long time and period before we could have access roads to the present Osun State. The road that should take us to Efon has many hills and so on. Most especially, when one starts climbing Ipole Iloro, it becomes tougher when approaching Efon. This road only became a little motorable from Efon to Ipole Iloro. All we need to do now is to link from Ipole Iloro to Ogotun Ekiti”.
The monarch commended the former Governor of Ekiti State, Engr Segun Oni for awarding the road and commencing work on it before Governor Kayode Fayemi came to put it on hold when he came during his first tenure in office as Governor of the State.
“Since Governor Kayode Fayemi came for his second term in office, he has not laid hands or think of revisiting the road. The fastest and alternative road network to link both Osun and Ekiti States together are from Igbara Odo Ekiti to Ogotun Ekiti and to Ikeji Ile, Ira Ikeji and Ipetu Ijesa in Osun State. I have on several occasions equally complained about the road from Ilawe Ekiti to Ibuji. Also, from Igbara Odo Ekiti to Ikere Ekiti and from Igbara Odo to Igbara Oke have all been abandoned by the governments. The only road worthy of usage is the road from Igbara Odo Ekiti to Ilawe Ekiti and to Ado Ekiti.”
He requested and pleaded with the State governments that the roads from Ogotun Ekiti to Ikeji Ile to Ira Ikeji and to Ipetu Ijesa should be made useful by the governments of the two states. Also, he said, if the roads from Ogotun Ekiti to Ipole Iloro to Efon are accessible, then, the people will be able to have roads and other accesses to other towns. These roads are the major ones that are handicapped.
“On the road that leads to Osun State from the Ogotun Ekiti axis, there are two things presently wrong with it. First, it has sharp bends; and two, too many hills. But for the drivers and the okada riders, we would have recorded many accidents. The governments of both Osun and Ekiti up till now have not shown interest whatsoever on the road. Be it local, be it state government or even Federal, nobody has showed interest in that road”.
The Ologotun used the opportunity to call on the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to do something urgently on the porous border linking Ogotun Ekiti to Ikeji Ile, Ira Ikeji and Ipetu Ijesa in Osun State. Most especially, in ensuring that the Ekiti State Government liaises with its Osun State counterpart to fix the roads. More security measures also need to be provided on that road.
Onikeji Of Ikeji Ile’s Account:
While giving his own account, the Akeji Of Ikeji Ile, His Royal Majesty, Oba Àdebayo Ogunmokun (JP) said Ikeji Ile is the gateway of Osun State. According to him, Ikeji is divided into two which are Ikeji Ile and Ikeji Arakeji, where the Joseph Ayodele Babalola University (JABU) is located. Ikeji Ile to Ikeji Arakeji covers a distance of 4km away from each other.
Oba Ogunmokun maintained that Ikeji Ile is the only tourist centre in Osun State sharing boundary with a neighbouring State like Ekiti. It is a town that should not be abandoned by the government because of its potentials to generate IGR for the state if well harnessed and tapped. Ikeji Ile has a common boundary with Ekiti and Osun States and it is shorter to Ekiti. The road is very bad at the moment unless the government of Osun and Ekiti move to fix the road.
He expressed regret why the government should have abandoned the road linking Ikeji Ile in Osun State to Ogotun in Ekiti State. In his words: “Osun State is throwing away a very vast resource centre where its IGR can be boosted and increased. Commercial drivers are aware that this is the shortest route to Ekiti State. To get to Ado Ekiti from Ilesa is less than 40 minutes drive when one takes the Ipetu Ijesa / Ira Ikeji / Ikeji Ile whereas driving through Ilesa/Erinmo/Aramoko to Ado Ekiti takes more than an hour.
Akeji called on both the government of Osun and Ekiti States to join hands and invest on the road by fixing it. And with the cooperation of the two communities, Ikeji Ile and Ogotun Ekiti can co-opt themselves to establish a joint market located in between the two boundaries linking them together. He revealed that the Ikeji Ile community is very rich in the production of ‘orogbo’, ‘wara’ and ‘obi’ that are easily tapped.
The Akeji, while speaking with Parrot Xtra condemned the Council Chairmen who always seat in their offices doing nothing but only sending their officers to the market to go and collect taxes from the poor community market women. He berated the Local Government bosses because most of them lack the idea and the good initiative to make a change in their respective offices.
A call was also made to the government to do something urgently on the bushes preventing the people of Ikeji Ile from gaining unfettered access to those in Ikeji Arakeji.
“If you study Geography, you will understand that Ikeji Ile is one of the best tourists centres in the whole of the Country considering its vast topography and qualities.
Ogotun happens to be the last town in Ekiti while Ikeji Ile is also the last town in Osun State. Both have common boundaries linking them together. He advised that both Osun and Ekiti governments should pay attention to the road.
Taking the Ipetu Ijesa road on Akure road axis, Ikeji Ile road is the shortest route to Ado Ekiti and it is all about 28km to Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital.
The road has remained extremely bad despite the fact it was tarred several years ago with the community’s efforts. It was destroyed by erosion.
“Osun State government should as a matter of urgency not ignorantly throw away the opportunity of becoming the best tourists’ state in the country. In view of this, more attention should be given to it. How much will it cost the Osun State government to build a first class overhead bridge from Ipetu Ijesa across Ikeji Ile and Ira Ikeji to Osun State boundary leading to Ekiti State?
“Government should please expedite action to complete the mini dam project which is at 85 percent completion stage to boost power supply to lpetu ljesa and lkeji lle and provide energy supply for growth of entrepreneurship in the area”.
The Olura Of Ira Ikeji, Oba Julius Oluropo Fatanmi’s Account:
Oba Julius Oluropo Fatanmi, the Olura Of Ira Ikeji is the next community to Ikeji Ile on the way to Ipetu Ijesa also in Osun State. He was equally available to speak to Parrot Xtra on issues relating to the state of the roads in the two towns located side by side, that is, the Ira Ikeji and Ikeji Ile both in Osun State.
Speaking his mind on the state of their roads, the Olura of Ira Ikeji condemned the infrastructural situation in the two communities which extended to Ipetu Ijesa. He said that as far as infrastructural issue is concerned, government’s presence is not much at all. There is an High School which the government renovated to the credit of Osun State government.
His words “As you can see, when you move round the two towns you will discover that the roads linking Ira Ikeji and Ikeji Ile with Ogotun Ekiti via Ipetu Ijesa are indeed in deplorable situations.
“Our communities are in dire need of government’s intervention. Apart from their bad conditions, the roads are too narrow, the terrains are bad. So many gullies and potholes on the roads. The communities need government’s intervention on the road. We need government’s assistance so as to make it worthwhile. Both Ikeji Ile and Ira Ikeji are towns linking Ekiti State. The link-roads are presently in bad states. They are not good enough. The roads need expansion. Some sections need to be straightened because the curves are too dangerous. He called on the government to rise to the occasion to make the roads motor-able and accessible for both communities.
“Sincerely speaking, the road network is the most crucial. Accessibility is very important. Even if the government wants to do anything, the roads must be plied. So, it’s a far cry.”
The Kabiyesi descended heavily on the State governments of Osun and Ekiti on their very poor dispositions towards roads’ construction.
“Our government should fix our roads and make life better for us to live. Observations noted over the years had indicated that people from the Ministries of Works and Infrastructures at both the States and the Federal levels are also passing through our roads and seeing the dangers and doing nothing to address the problems”.
The monarch appealed to the media to join hands with their Kingdoms to drum, sound and hype it to those in the helm of affairs and make them repent and do something on the roads.
The Kabiyesi submitted that the government alone cannot fix roads. He proposed that there should be collaboration between the government and the people of the communities so that the dangerous roads can be fixed and enough infrastructural facilities are also provided.
“Without the road linkages, hardly could there be any development. If the government wants to build anything in the communities, they have to still ply the roads. Anything communication, it is the roads network. So, we only pray that this year 2020 – that the two governments of Osun and Ekiti States will collaborate and fix these roads for us so that we can move our goods from the farms.”
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran
