October 22, 2014 – Residents of Denro in Ogun State are going through unbearable pain. They have found themselves in a hopeless situation and are only waiting for the slightest prod to vent their anger in a manner that would be most embarrassing to the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led government over the sorry state of the road leading to their homes.
Denro is a community that is sandwiched between Ishasi in Akute to the North and Oluwakemi Street in the South and tail end of Ojodu all in Ogun State.
But residents told our reporter that the only road which has led in and out of the area created by immediate past governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel was terribly traumatized when Senator Ibikunle Amosun closed Ojodu-Alagbole road to enable him construct what has been described as a rather ambitious bridge after part destruction of an existing low but structurally perfect bridge forcing 90 percent of commuters into the terrible Denro road.
“But things got worst early Sunday morning when we woke up only to discover that the road has been covered by water. It came gradually and we thought it was a joke but today the water level goes as high as your waist, even shoulder in some areas. Only people who know the terrain very well dare pass through on foot”, Paul Osaze told our correspondent.
It was indeed a sorry state when our correspondent visited. The road to the most affected place was in terrible condition. Packed by road which has been rendered impassible are jeeps of various dimensions. Commercial buses have already created bus stop by the side, same with operators of motorcycles otherwise called Okada.
But after so much noise, embarrassment and physical assaults, he is given access. But not all was that lucky. Those who could not afford N50 are forced to cross the murky water on foot.
As you standby to watch the drama as hundreds of people pass through the frail bridge, you could feel anger, dejection and that of abandonment by the government they voted into power more than three years ago in their looks and the way they comport themselves.
A pretty lady stood by, watching the helpless situation. She is young and likely in her early twenties. ‘You seem not happy with the situation?, our reporter ventured to ask. “Ya, I am just not happy, we feel abandoned by government, I have a phobia for water, so how do I pass through this water?”, she asked.
But she is not alone in this quagmire. “It is terrible, this place needs a very high bridge. It is this area that needs the bridge Senator Ibikunle Amosun is building across Yakoyo and Alagbole. We are tired. I have to pack my Honda Pilot on the Denro side and take the frail bridge to come to church. I have to leave my wife and children back home”, Paul Osaze who lives in the area told our correspondent.
“We already planning to match on Government House in Ogun State to register our displeasure over the situation and his insensitivity to our plight. We have written several letters to the Local Government concerned and nothing has happened”, a banker by name Odafe who lives in the area told our correspondent.
But just by the murky water is a shop where some nice pieces of furniture were exhibited. The carpenter, Femi Akintunde who said he has lived in the area for more than 10 years gives an insight into what is likely responsible for the sudden emergence of water that has cut off Denro from rest of Lagos and Ogun State.
“I have lived in this area for more than 10 years now. Every three years this water comes and covers the whole road. What you are seeing is just the beginning. You have not seen anything. It will get to a level that nobody can pass through this place; even that makeshift bride people are crossing will collapse. What I am telling you happened few years back and some people have to bring in their canoe to ferry people to and fro the area”, he said, adding that a permanent solution will be just a bridge, a little bit higher than the water to take people to and fro Denro.
According to him, the water comes each time a damn is opened in Ogun State, leading to massive inflow of water into the area.
“The water comes from Ogun State, each time they open the damn, the water comes and covers this area”, he said adding that in a particular year, the level of water was so massive that properties running into several millions were devastated; forcing the Federal Government to give out funds which he said was shared among affected residents.
We reached out to the Ogun State Government on the issue. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu was however not available for comment. He is said to be out of the country, but Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mrs. Funmi Wakama appealed to residents to be patient adding that the road is one of the roads earmarked by the governor for expansion and construction.
“We appealed to the residents of Denro to be patient, I am sure it is one of the roads earmarked for expansion and construction. It is part of the decadence of many years ago that we have been talking about. We cannot fix all the roads at the same time. They have to be patient”, she said.
As it is, it seems residents of Denro will have to suffer a little bit longer, most especially with elections around the corner.
Our correspondent also visited the Yakoyo and Alagbole end of the road which has been shut to allow for construction of Yakoyo-Alagbole bridge. Our findings revealed that construction has been brought to a halt.
There was no construction worker on the ground apart from heavy equipment which appeared to have been abandoned for weeks.
However the road has been opened even as vehicles meander between the heavy concrete slabs which suspends the bridge that is about 5 percent compete. That road opened just few days back remains the only manageable route for residents of Denro. Traffic is already heavy even though many now abandon their vehicles at home to beat the resulting traffic jam in the morning on their way to work and in the evening while returning home.
“I have abandoned my vehicle at home, since I cannot cope with the traffic since Denro was cut off by that water”, Jahpower Dozie noted, adding that prior to the emergence of the water, the road had impacted negatively on his vehicle making him change shock absolvers which came with his new vehicle less than two years after it was bought.
As it is, the resident of Denro will need to wait a little longer to get succor from government or result to self-help, i.e, packing out since it is almost an impossible task for resident to undertake construction of a bridge that can engender lasting rest of mind for residents of the area.
Contributed by Emmanuel Ukudolo
