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By Emma Jemegah
People living in the Matogun-Oke Aro axis of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State feel they’ve been neglected and abandoned despite contributing to the re-election of Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Since 1993 when the area finally opened for people from neigbhouring Lagos, the people have had no government presence in terms of infrastructures. Rather, what the people “enjoy” is network of terrible road. Yet, residents of the area keep hoping that the government of Abiodun will come to their rescue, hence the massive votes they gave him during the last election.
The people’s woes started during the administration of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, who allegedly said he couldn’t invest in the community because “the place is a farmland.” When Senator Ibikunle Amosun took over, the people heaved a sigh of relief, believing that he would come to their rescue. How wrong!
Throughout Amosun’s eight years as governor, he never considered the area. Yet, he knew the community now regarded as “Government Rejected Area” existed, as he campaigned in the community during the campaign period; in fact, he did some palliative with filling of laterite at the Oke Aro junction. At that time, the people became expectant but like a pregnant woman who had a stillbirth, the residents’ hopes were dashed as Amosun never returned to the community.
The Oke Aro-Matogun axis is not an entirely neglected community: far from it. The area is host to some state and federal governments facilities. The area is host to the Nigeria Airspace Management Authority and the national electricity distribution agency.
The community is also home to the Lagos State cooperative society pig farm, said to be the third largest of such in West Africa, while the Lagos State Water Corporation, Adiyan Dam, is a border to the community.
In fact, the closest time development got to the community was during the first but shortlived tenure of Aremo Segun Osoba as the governor of Ogun State. Since then, the people have been taking solace in community efforts to keep the access roads passable through individual contributions. Yet, the local council, Ifo LGA, daily taxes residents through levies such as business and residential permits.
On Saturday, September 2, the residents trooped out in their numbers for a rally to draw government’s attention to their plight.The peaceful rally saw the people walk from Matogun through Petesi, Ishaga, Aro Lambo, Otemuyiwa and terminate at Oke Aro, a distance of seven kilometres, with various banners pleading to Governor Abiodun to consider their road as part of the state’s road intervention plan.
To the people, while they are aware of Federal Government’s subsidy removal palliative through the various state governments, they would rather Abiodun used their share of the palliatives as direct intervention in the Oke Aro-Matogun road.
One of the community leaders, Mr. Ayodele Falas, the chairman of Araromi Oke Odo CDC, told Daily Sun that they decided to organise the rally to remind the government of their plight: “We’ve always been partners to every successive government in Ogun State and we’ve always identified with Governor Abiodun. We’re his children, so he should come to our aid. The Oke Aro-Matogun road is in state of disrepair and only the state government can fix it as it is. For over 20 years, it has been through community efforts but the road is becoming too expensive for the residents alone to fix.”
For Deacon O.M. Olopade, the chairman of Matogun Area CDC, the rally was a shout-out to the state government to come to their rescue. He said: “We’re in terrible pains because of the deplorable condition of the road. Because of the bad nature of the road, transport fares have skyrocketed. Before, from Oke Aro to Matogun used to cost N100 but we now pay N1,000. Some of the residents who couldn’t bear the sufferings have relocated, to rent houses in neighbouring Toyin, a border community in Lagos State.”
Another resident, Mr. Tanimowo Oladele Olufemi, lamented that many business owners like him have been forced out of the area because of the deplorable condition of roads in the community.
“I moved into this community in 2003, not only as a resident but to provide job opportunities for the people while contributing to the education needs of the community. But I tell you, it’s been frustrating living and doing business in this area. Businesses have been impacted by the bad roads, we maintain our school buses with huge amounts, while many have broken down due to the bad road,” he lamented.
Tanimowo, who has gathered some people in the community for periodic intervention on the road, said over 1.5 million people reside in the community most of whom relocated to the area because of cheaper land and the close proximity to Lagos State.
“We’re appealing to the Commissioner for Works in Ogun State, the chairman of Ifo LGA, the members representing the community in both the state and federal houses of assembly and Governor Dapo Abiodun to help us, even if it’s palliative. We will be grateful to him,” Tanimowo said.
