BOLA BAMIGBOLA, in this report, describes the difficult experiences of travelers and drivers using the ignored Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Expressway, sharing their stories of difficulty and near-death incidents on the road
Tayo Obalorun, a civil engineer aged 45, was nostalgic as he returned to Ile Ife, Osun State, for the first time since graduating from Obafemi Awolowo University in 2005.
Having had a good life since leaving university and coming back to Osun, especially Ile-Ife, memories of his struggles during his degree program in OAU came flooding back during his journey on the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Expressway from Lagos.
Obalorun, trying to stay awake with a book and music, had a frightening experience on the road, resulting in a serious crash that left him and his driver injured and their vehicle severely damaged.
He and his driver narrowly escaped death, but two other commuters traveling on the same road lost their lives in a fatal crash before Balogun Village a few days later.
The accident happened when the vehicle tried to avoid a bad part of the road and lost control.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Osun State, Kehinde Adeleke, confirmed that the deceased died at the accident scene.
The 224-kilometer road that begins from Iwo Road, Ibadan and ends near International Brewery, Ilesa, connecting to Ilesa-Akure Expressway, has been in a severe state of disrepair recently.
The road, which is a major route for drivers going towards the North and other parts of the country, particularly through Ondo State, has been in a terrible condition.
This Federal Government Trunk A road that links Ibadan to border towns in Osun State and to Ilesa has been a preferred route for drivers, but it has become one of the most dangerous highways in Osun State.
Motorists, especially public transport operators, have been expressing their concerns about the hazards they face while using the road.
In addition to the frequent accidents causing loss of lives and vehicle damage, commercial drivers have been struggling with high repair costs due to the bad road conditions.
During a recent inspection of the road by The PUNCH, it was noted that the lane heading to Ibadan from Gbongan Junction was in poor shape, and the lane from Ibadan to Ile-Ife was mostly impassable, full of potholes.
Recent repair work has been done on some damaged parts after the Asejire Bridge, but from Naira and Kobo Junction, Ikire, down to Ilesa, the road is in a poor state and needs more than just spot patching, but a complete reconstruction.
At Naira and Kobo Junction, on the Ile-Ife lane, repair work has recently been done to ensure the free flow of water. However, residents still complain that the area always floods whenever it rains.
Just before Balogun Village, the road is nearly cut off, causing motorists to divert and drive against the traffic on the lane to Ibadan.
Before Wasinmi, a roadside community on the highway, there are several ditches on the road. A physically challenged man is trying to fill the spots with sand to provide temporary relief, and travelers usually give him money to appreciate his efforts.
Shortly after Bisi Akande Trumpet Bridge in Gbongan before Ipetumodu, there are gullies on the road, and there are also many potholes before Oduduwa University gate in Ipetumodu.
The Ife-Ilesa corridor of the road has many potholes, making travel difficult and exposing commuters to accidents and attacks from robbers who usually hide in bushes near the bad portions and terrorize commuters.
At the Moro end of the road, near RCC Junction, gullies are hindering the free flow of traffic, and the Ife-Ilesa corridor of the dual carriageway is also filled with potholes.
Some commercial drivers plying the road believe the poor condition of the highway indicates that the Federal Government has abandoned it, leaving people using it to their fate.
Rasheed Adekunle and Michael Olaribigbe, both of the Lagos Unit of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Osogbo, said a substantial portion of their earnings end up with auto mechanics, as their vehicles require frequent repairs to travel the road.
Olaribigbe, who has been using the road since 2005, added that a large percentage of his profits go to repairing his bus, even though it is fairly strong, and he drives carefully.
It is worrying that a road crucial for the movement of goods and people from the southern part to the North is left in such a terrible state. Many of my colleagues express fear of death when driving on that road.
I have nightmares because I have witnessed several accidents on that road and seen people killed or losing limbs. However, as a commercial driver with a family to support, I have no choice but to work daily.
Supporting Olaribigbe, a colleague from the same Lagos Unit, Adekunle, mentioned being in an accident on the road on January 3 this year near Wasinmi while trying to avoid a bad portion.
Adekunle explained that he was trying to avoid a bad part of the road when another vehicle driving in the opposite direction appeared in front of him. The accident happened as he was heading towards Ikire. Fortunately, the collision was not severe because he wasn't driving very fast, but he still suffered a dislocation. The two passengers in the front seat also got injured, and his bus was damaged.
A lecturer at the Osun State University's Ikire campus, who lives in Osogbo, the state capital, considered changing jobs last year due to the high cost of maintaining his badly damaged vehicle, caused by potholes on the road.
Risikat Ahmed, a resident of Ilesa who runs a business supplying herbs, expressed her frustration with the road conditions while traveling to Ibadan twice a week.
Akintade, a frequent user of the road who works with the Independent National Electoral Commission in Lagos State, expressed sadness about the terrible state of the road.
Akintade questioned whether the road users deserve a good life and expressed disappointment over the neglect of such a crucial road, urging the officials in charge to provide an explanation for their inaction.
Lere Oyewumi, the lawmaker representing Osun West senatorial district, mentioned that the repair fund for the road has been allocated in the 2024 budget.
Oyewumi, who is from Ikire, confirmed that the fund for the road repair has been included in the budget as 'Emergency/palliative repairs of Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa dual carriageway in Oyo and Osun states.'
The lawmaker stated that the road, which spans 224km, has been undergoing repair work, with KOPEC Construction Company appointed as the contractor. The repair work has been completed from the Asejire Bridge up to the Irewole Local Government secretariat in Ikire.
He urged patience and assured that once more funds are released to the contractor, work will resume on the road, emphasizing the significance of the project and their commitment to alleviating the current hardships faced by the people.
