Residents of Ratcon Road in the Ife Gbewasokan community, Ibadan, have appealed to the Oyo State Government for urgent rehabilitation of their deteriorating access road. The road, serving as a vital link to about 57 surrounding communities in Odo-Ona Kekere, Oluyole Local Government, has remained in poor condition for years, residents said in interviews on Thursday. Key roads such as Aba Ọpa, Apadaba, Fawẹ, Aba oke, Akinosun, Ori Dagogo, Lannisa, Alawọ, Ojo Ẹkun, Oluwo, and Alọbẹ are affected. The route also connects to the ongoing Ibadan Circular Road project. An estimated one million residents and numerous small and medium-scale businesses rely on the road, but its condition worsens during the rainy season, causing flooding and near-total inaccessibility.
Yusuf Olabode, community chairman, said repeated appeals to the Oluyole Local Government have yielded no meaningful response. He described the situation as beyond local capacity. Isiaka Ajibola, traditional head of Odo-Okun village, revealed residents had bought gravel and stones to patch the road, but erosion repeatedly washes away the repairs. Residents reported accidents, injuries, and loss of lives, with emergency services struggling to reach them. Tricycle operators, led by Felix Babatunde, said frequent vehicle damage has eroded profits. Motorcycle riders, under Hammed Oladokun, reported increased accidents and maintenance costs. They collectively urged the state government to intervene before conditions worsen.
Yusuf Olabode's appeal lays bare the widening trust deficit between rural communities and Oyo State's governance structure. His statement that the problem has surpassed the capacity of both the community and the local government is not just logistical—it is political. It signals a failure of decentralised administration, where even basic infrastructure repair cannot be managed at the grassroots despite demonstrated local initiative.
The fact that residents have personally funded gravel purchases—only to see them eroded—reveals a disturbing norm: Nigerians paying twice for public goods. While the state executes high-visibility projects like the Ibadan Circular Road, feeder routes critical to daily survival are ignored. The claim that nearly one million people are affected is not an exaggeration when considering the network of 57 connected communities. This neglect undermines the circular road's intended impact, rendering it a partial solution in a fragmented transport ecosystem.
Ordinary residents, especially commercial riders and small business owners, bear the direct cost. Tricycle and motorcycle operators like Felix Babatunde and Hammed Oladokun are losing income to avoidable repairs, while emergency access delays risk lives. For families dependent on daily transport for healthcare and trade, the road's state is a silent tax on survival.
This mirrors a recurring pattern across Nigeria—urban-centric development that bypasses hinterland connectivity. Infrastructure projects often prioritise visibility over inclusivity, leaving peripheral communities stranded even as progress is celebrated elsewhere.
