By Moses Ojo
Having handled the Community Pages of the Ondo State Government owned newspaper, The Hope, for over three years between 2011 and 2015, which earned me the 2013 Ondo State NUJ Best Community Reporter of The Year Award, I have traversed the entire nooks and crannies of the sunshine state. Consequently, I can mention names, state the level of development and the economic value of each rural community across the state.
From research, there was a clamor for the creation of Akure East Local Government Area at the same time the current Akure North Local Government Area was under push. Unfortunately, only Akure North was considered for reasons I won’t state here.
Then, those pushing for Akure East intended to make Oda its headquarters if it eventually sailed through, knowing that Oda is surrounded by many communities which are today fully occupied.
Owing to the proximity of Oda to both the federal and state secretariats in Akure, the state capital, majority of the communities are now being overcrowded by civil servants. The road linking Oda with Owena Motel, which now houses Shoprite building close to the secretariats, had become an unmotorable before the intervention of the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration.
Every morning, commercial buses conveying pupils, students, marketers, artisans and government workers from Oda and adjourning communities to the state capital always find it difficult to pass through this dilapidated road which is less than six kilometres.
Before Oda town, from Shoprite, we have more than 20 communities, two big housing estates, and Sunshine Football Club Village aside the State’s College of Health Technology sited along the ever-busy road.
I cannot mention all the various communities; but from Kajola junction which links Ijoka road at Davog, we have Ijigba town which has more than seven communities competing for social economic growth. Headed by the Olujigba, Kabiyesi Luyi Rotimi, Ijigba alone is comprising of Ijigba one, Ijigba two, Onimalu, Atipere, Moferere, Oloruntedo, Ogunade and Olasipe providing residences for majority of Akure dwellers.
Little do people know that Oda is a border town between Ondo and Edo states because from this town, there is an earth road linking it with Ofosu in Edo State. Between Oda and Ofosu, we have several other communities and farm settlements from where farm products such as yam, cassava, cocoa and plantain just to mention a few, are being brought to the state capital for sale.
In addition, planks and woods for various construction projects and furniture are brought from communities such as Cocoa Board, Ajebandele, Idanre, Ofosu, Omotosho and Onipetesi among others through Oda to Akure City.
No doubt, with this lofty step by the present administration, Akure residents should expect more availability of fresh food items as farm products which used to rot away on the farms for lack of good roads to transport them to the cities will soon be a thing of the past.
Besides, I am very confident that this lofty project when completed will encourage incoming administrations to reconstruct the Oda-Ofosu road which links Ore-Benin Express way, to become another alternative way to Akure-Ondo-Ore road.
In one word, the dualisation of this road by the Akeredolu administration is a welcome development that will further boost the State’s economic growth as well as alleviate the suffering of the people.
l advise the government to carry out a thorough supervision of the project to ensure that the approved design is not distorted and ensure that quality materials are used for its durability.
- Moses Ojo, a former News Editor of The Hope, writes from Akure
