Lagos-Ibadan Expressway – Fashola, How Far?

….the potholes and the largely eczematous portions are so bad they can abort the pregnancy of a commuter in the third trimester;…..it’s clear that the life-taking potential of this Lagos-Ibadan Expressway needs to be reduced to a forgettable minimum, if not eradicated. …

I am a heavy user of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and over the years, I’ve witnessed the bad, the worse and the uglier on this road due to its perennially perilous state.

Over the years, I’ve seen accidents, had mine fair share of them, and those many times when hearts have skipped at the sudden sight of countless near-accidents and briskly averted deaths.

It is a fact, that the ‘heart’ of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been ‘broken’ many times in this our democracy.
That road has been used to siphon money; contracts for the expansion and reconstruction of that road have been awarded almost countless times; that road itself has seen hell! Yet, no respite still for its state, its usage, and its users…how very ‘nigerian’!

At the moment, despite the court brouhaha and FG’s 50 billion naira cut off the highway’s budget that’s stalling the project, little work is ongoing on this heavily-used Lagos-Ibadan highway, the Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) guys from the Ibadan end and Julius Berger from the Lagos end; but, asides the usually tardy rate of work that indirectly introduces additional danger to the users, there’s an attendant ill on this highway that causes incessant accidents —- the ‘strategically’ situated potholes and eczematous portions on this highway —- they are the major blood-spillers on the Lagos Ibadan expressway.

Especially from the Ibadan end, the potholes and the largely eczematous portions are so bad they can abort the pregnancy of a commuter in the third trimester; and the crane of carnage that occur as drivers try to maneuver them is almost daily. Barely 2 months ago, the notoriety of these potholes roared as they caused a 15-hour gridlock on the highway.

This isn’t changeworthy; so, dear super tripartite minister Babatunde Fashola, how far?

Before someone blares that sour “be patient, it’s just 8 months” gospel into my ears, I’m a realist at least, and while I can’t appreciate the snail-like pace of work, I know this highway will neither be completed nor perfected in a jiffy; but, commonsense arrests me to make me see that, while wholesome construction is ongoing from both ends, these ‘strategically’ situated potholes and rough portions can be temporarily covered/fixed, albeit, professionally, in order to forestall needless tragedies….simple.

So, Oga mi Fashola, how far?

I know the present government have extended the date of completing this highway at 2018, it’s just that I am not particularly happy that our super Minister of Works and the Minister of Transport both haven’t even deemed it fit to communicate details that bore hope (not the usual x-point agendas) about all our highways. I mean, this particular Lagos-Ibadan expressway is unarguably one of the busiest in Nigeria, as it is the major link between Lagos and the entire southwest Nigeria and beyond….it’s clear that the life-taking potential of this road needs to be reduced to a forgettable minimum, if not eradicated. …

Well, Oga mi Fashola, even though you aren’t ready to communicate and tell us how to build 10 well-equipped and well-staffed emergency centres along the stretch of this highway, or how to fix solar-powered highway lights at calculated intersections, at least, let us use commonsense to cover and smoothen these sure death traps on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in honour of the ‘Change’ mantra at least, even if the lives of the people do not matter that much.

Thank you sir, our Minister named Thor.