Residents of Ogbomoso have described the increasing rate of carnage on Ogbomoso-Oyo road as an epidemic that has wasted valuable souls
and claims lives faster than the dreaded Boko Haram sect or Hiv Aids
They claims that the portion of the old Ibadan-Ilorin road has claimed no fewer than fourteen thousand, forty (14,040), lives, since year 2000.
This was disclosed at save our soul press conference at the Soun Ogunlola Hall, Ogbomoso on Monday, where they appeal to president Muhammadu led administration to hasten the completion of the road and ensure its ready before August 1 2018
in a letter jointly signed by Reverend Israel Olaniyan (Head of Churches in Ogbomoso), Bishop Adebayo Akintola (Secretary, Head of Churches), Chairman, League of Imams and Alfas, Ogbomoso zone Alhaji Imam Nafiu Abdulkareem Atanda and Hon. Michael Abioye (Secretary, Egbe Omo Ogbomoso Parapo Agbaye), the community maintained that the old road which has become a death trap has led to the death of many youths, women and other promising indigenes and non-indigenes of the town because the new road which suppose to be the solution has been abandoned by the Federal government.
Given the estimated casualties of the victims on the road in the speech read by Rev Olaniyan, the community posit that about 15 people lost their lives weekly, 780 people lost their lives in a year, adding that 14,040 people have died on the road in the last 18 years when the construction of the new road Ibadan-Ilorin road started.
He revealed that only this year, three school principals have lost their lives on the road while fifteen students of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso also lost their lives two weeks ago on the road.
He said, “The construction of the dual carriage highway which started 18 years ago has left the Ilorin-Ogbomoso and Oyo-Ibadan portion in a particularly deplorable condition while the Ogbomoso-Oyo axis of the express road is yet to be started. The situation has left no option for commuters than to continue to use the old Ogbomoso-Oyo road which is a one lane road plied by vehicles of all sizes, going to and from the Northern Nigeria.
“Statistics at our disposal indicates that an average of 15 persons die on the road per week. In a year, it indicates that an average of 780 persons is lost on this road. Multiplied by 18 years since the road was awarded, it shows that an average of 14, 040 persons have lost their lives on Ogbomoso-Oyo road. This is alarming and calls for urgent completion of the express road under construction.
“This year, three secondary school Principals and one Account Officer lost their lives, just two weeks ago, 15 students of LAUTECH lost their lives.
“These have been a recurring decimal that must not be allowed to reoccur. An accidental death on the road has drastically cut short the life expectancy of persons living in this part of Nigeria”.
Olaniyan while appealing to the Federal Government to expedite action on the abandoned road, however urged the FG to declare a state of emergency on the Ogbomoso-Oyo road and ensure that the road is completed latest by August 1st this year.
He said, “We indigenes and inhabitants of Ogbomosoland do hereby appeal to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, to expedite action on the construction of the Ogbomoso-Oyo part of the Ibadan-Ilorin road.
“We appeal to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), to as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency on the Ogbomoso-Oyo road and ensure the road is completed by August 1st 2018.
“The completion of the new express dual carriage road will, apart from saving lives, aid in no small measure both transportation and economic activities across Nigeria, especially the North/Southwest bounded goods”.
The residents who later matched to the palace of Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade 111, were received by the Aare Ago of Ogbomosoland, Chief Samuel Sobaloju on behalf of the monarch.
Sobaloju while receiving a copy of their letter, also joined them to call on the FG to come to the aid of the residents of the area.
