People of the Elerinjare community in the Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State have cried out to the state government to intervene on the deplorable conditions of the 3.7-kilometre Idofian-Elerinjare road.
Oba Tajudeen Olanrewaju Bello, (Olaitan II) the traditional ruler of Elerinjare Ibobo land gave the appeal on behalf of his people, saying that the people have had harrowing experiences due to the bad state of the road.
In a statement by Abdulhakeem Garba, the publicity secretary of the Elerinjare Ibobo Descendants Union (EIDU), stated that the road had never been constructed by any government.
It added that the road was first awarded for construction during the first term of Governor Bukola Saraki in 2003 as well as during second term of the immediate past Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, “without its construction seeing the light of the day”.
The statement quoted Oba Bello saying that, “It is always a challenge yearly for indigenes who travelled far and near to access the agrarian community as rain usually flooded the way leading to the area, thereby forcing indigenes to park their vehicles along roadside for days without gaining access to the community, while others would rather turn back”.
The statement noted that the Idofian-Elerinjare road, when constructed, would benefit other adjoining agrarian communities such as Oko-Okuta and Okoya, adding that it would also reduce man hours spent travelling on the road.
The people also said that the Idofian-Elerinjare road leads to Ojoku in the Oyun local government area of the state as well as Offa, Offa local government area.
Oba Bello, who said that communal efforts had sustained the road from getting dilapidated, added that each household was levied every year, especially, during raining season to maintain the road.
The monarch said that it was collective efforts of members of the community that brought about the construction of primary and secondary schools, adding that projects such as electricity, and hand pump boreholes were also realized by taxing each household since 1984.
The community, passionately appealed to the present Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to urgently intervene on the cries of the people, adding that they are staunch members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Despite being staunch members of the ruling APC in the state, we lament that dividends of democracy is yet to reach the community. We are, therefore, appealing to our able Governor to consider our plight”.
