The deplorable state of Olodo bridge and connecting roads in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has resulted in frustration for road users and a lull in economic activities. Motorists and residents that ply the bridge are currently in pains following its collapse that has forced them to either take alternative routes that cost them more money and time to connect their destinations or abandon their trip entirely.
They are therefore appealing to the government to expedite action on the reconstruction of the bridge and connecting roads to save them from the economic losses being recorded on a daily basis as a result of the incident.
Olodo bridge is popular in Ibadan as it connects various areas in the state and parts of Osun State. It connects weekly marketplaces such as Erunmu, Oyedeji, Lagun, Olodo and many others. For years, the bridge has played a vital role in the lives of those who use it daily. It facilitates the smooth movement of people, goods and services within Olodo, surrounding communities and neighbouring states. But it collapsed during a downpour last Sunday.
Over the years, Olodo area in Egbeda Local Council of the state has been experiencing flooding once there is a downpour. The failure of the government to address the problem affected the integrity of the bridge and eventually led to its collapse, leaving many residents of the area stranded.
Before its collapse, one side of the road was undergoing construction as part of the ongoing Ibadan-Iwo-Osogbo road project. This left motorists and other road users to make do with the other side. However, following the downpour, the entire side under construction was washed off even as the available side was grossly damaged. The development led to the closure of the route to avoid loss of lives and property.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs. Modupe Adeleye, who announced the closure of the route when she led a team to inspect the level of damage caused by the downpour, sympathised with the people, stating that the government was aware of their plight.
“It is really pathetic actually. It is sad what we are seeing here this morning. We came here as a team comprising the Ministries of Environment, Public Works, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP), to see things for ourselves.
“There are palliatives that the government will put in place for now to allay the fears of the people. The team has gone round to look for alternative routes because this place (Olodo Bridge) needs to be shut down for now to prevent loss of lives and property; it is a very risky zone.
“The suggestion now is that we should shut down and look for alternative routes for people to do their businesses and so far, the best route that we found is about five kilometres. It spans from Wofun junction through Kute to Olodo Bank. That will be the alternative route where the government will take a palliative measure for now,” she said.
Motorists and traders who spoke with The Guardian on the development lamented that it has negatively affected their businesses. The traders particularly lamented that they now pay exorbitant fares to commute their wares to and fro the markets.
A commercial driver, who has plied the Olodo-Iwo road for many years, Habeeb Ayinde, described his experiences as a result of the collapse of the bridge and road as horrible and called for urgent government intervention.
“I’m a driver; I pick passengers from Kumapayi to Olodo Bank, but right now the bridge has collapsed. As a result, we stay at the edge of the bridge or reroute through Egbeda and it lengthens the journey. The cost of fuel has increased and when we charge the passengers, they complain. Therefore, we want the government to come to our rescue,” Ayinde said.
Another affected road user, Taiwo Ojo, appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to re-award the contract to a competent contractor to ease the pains of the people.
Ojo said: “This is a very sad incident. The quality of the work being done here is appalling. The contract was awarded to quacks with little or no experience about the job. Imagine a contractor using 4mm and 8mm iron rods for the construction of a bridge of this magnitude. This is not done anywhere in the world. I will blame the government and the contractor. If the contractor had been supervised well, we wouldn’t have found ourselves in this mess.”
A student, Adeola Philips, said she gets nervous whenever she passes through the bridge. “Every time I pass the bridge to school, I’m always scared and conscious because you never know what is going to happen,” she said.
A civil servant who resides in the area, Olamide Adepoju, also said: “How will I be able to cope with my work, going to and fro with my children? With the way things are, we would have to rent an apartment in another area till the bridge is reconstructed. We are tired of crossing the border.”
Chairman of Egbeda Local Council, Sanda Sikiru Oyedele, told The Guardian that he shares the pains of the people.
His words: “I am not happy with the present situation. People have been stranded since yesterday. They couldn’t get to their various destinations. It is a very sad situation.
“I want to appeal to the community that they should be patient and calm because Governor Makinde is going to look into it. We are going to look for an alternative route.”
Recall that the governor had approved N12.5 billion for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and dualisation of Ibadan-Iwo road. He promised that the 35.6kilometre road project would span from Iwo road Interchange-Olodo-Lalupon in Ibadan to Odo Oba road in Osun State.
To tackle the situation holistically, the governments of Oyo and Osun states had also signed an agreement for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and expansion of the 91.0kilometer Osogbo (Dele Yes Sir Roundabout)-Iwo-Papa Village-Lalupon-Olodo bridge-Iwo Road Interchange (Ibadan) road. The joint contract was awarded to Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd in 2022 by Makinde and former governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure and Transport, Prof. Dahud Kehinde Sangodoyin, had explained that the contract would cover the Oyo State end of the Oyo-Osun boundary, linking Ibadan to Iwo to address not only the Olodo bridge problem but also the broader road network in the axis.
How soon the two state governments would complete the project to ease the pains of the people remains to be seen.
