Abandoned Ogun communities protest colonial bridge collapse

Some communities in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have lamented the collapse of a bridge reportedly constructed during the colonial era which connects them to the rest of the state.

According to the residents, the Oke Ipa Bridge, which collapsed on July 7, 2022, due to torrential rainfall, has hampered commercial activities, as farmers, traders and other business owners have not been able to function well.

Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident, saw a makeshift bridge constructed by residents to allow the passage of humans and motorcycles only.

During a peaceful protest on Saturday, the residents called on the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to come to their aid, saying the makeshift bridge would not withstand the coming rainy season.

The residents carried placards with different inscriptions, including, ‘Please, come to our aid, Governor Dapo Abiodun,’ ‘The bridge is important to our children’s education,’ ‘Help us fix the Oke Ipa bridge that has cut us off from other communities,’ among others.

Some of the affected communities included Oloke Sote, Magbon, Pakuro, Imedu Nla, Imedu Oloro, Magboro, Kara Nla, Kara Enumi, Jere Onigbedu, Makogi, among others.

The Baale of Melegun Oke Ipa, Chief Wahab Shodipo, said a new bridge would allow free flow of traffic in and out of the communities.

A chief of Igbehin land, Oluwole Olaoye, noted that a new bridge would also decongest traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“I was born in the 50s; I met the bridge here. Then, I was schooling at Pakuro. We used to come here to swim. The bridge that collapsed was not constructed by the government but by white men who came to explore gold in the time of our forefathers. Since its collapse, we have not had any government intervention,” he added. Punch