It is a statement of fact that the residents and commuters of Obaagun in Ifelodun Local Government of Osun State struggle on a daily basis to navigate the Township’s main artery, which has become a harrowing reality. The road, which was once friendly to commuters, has now deteriorated into a deplorable stretch of earth and gravel, posing a serious threat to safety, economic stability, and public health of the people of Obaagun, hence, a death trap to the users.
My concern and the concern of the good people of Obaagun for this road is not merely about potholes; it is about the paralysis of a community. The current condition of the road is a textbook case of infrastructural neglect by the previous and present government in the state. Deep gullies carved by erosion now serve as traps for vehicles, turning a journey that should take minutes into a spine-jarring, hour-long ordeal.
The rainy days are approaching, and countless inconveniences are being faced by the people, as sections of the road become impassable quagmires of mud, effectively cutting off parts of the town from the outside world.
*A Toll on Daily Life*
The consequences of this decay are felt in every aspect of local life. The users of the road struggle to navigate the bad terrain, often leaving people to the mercy of bike riders who are narrowly managing the footpath within the community. Worse still, patients requiring urgent medical attention face life-threatening delays as vehicles are forced to take long detours or risk getting stuck before reaching the nearest hospital. Business owners face losses as transportation costs consume a significant portion of their profit, as transport costs skyrocket and customers from neighboring areas think twice before making the trip into town due to the bad roads. The community is predominantly involved in the farming business, but they cannot reliably get their produce to market, and small business owners cannot guarantee the safe arrival of goods.
The road is more than just a path; it is the town’s economic lifeline, and it is currently severed.
*A Call to Action*
This is not a new problem, nor is it an invisible one. The plea of the Obaagun people has been loud and clear for far too long. Do we need to resort to a press conference? Do we need a protest before reaching out to the government? Do we need a road block before the request is made? No! We are a community of civilized people. What is required now is not just sympathy, but decisive action. We urgently call upon the relevant local and state authorities, as well as representatives of the constituency, to prioritize the reconstruction of this vital road.
This is not about politics, but asking for the right thing from the government to provide, as governance is all about the welfare and wellbeing of the people. We are not asking for favors; we are asking for the basic amenities that every citizen and community deserves. When a part of the community is neglected in terms of infrastructural development, it is ungodly and contravenes the constitution the government promised to uphold.
The reconstruction of the Obaagun Township Road must be moved from the pages of future plans to the reality of the present. It is time to give the people of Obaagun a road that is safe, passable, and worthy of a community striving to grow. Our concern is deep, but our hope is that it will be met one day by one government, as the Yoruba say, “Owo toba nduni, aki fisowo aso” (meaning, one should not hide their injured finger under their clothes, implying that problems should be addressed openly) and “Isu atenu moran kii jona” (meaning, a talkative person cooking yam, his yam on the pot would not be overcooked, implying that those who speak out often get results), one day the result would be achieved.
By
Wale Atoba, Ph.D.
Obaagun
[email protected]
