Residents of Alakuko in Ijaye-Ojokoro Local Government Area of Lagos State have called on the state government to intervene in the deplorable condition of the abandoned Baale-Animashaun Road.
The residents, who spoke with NGGOSSIPS Metro in separate interviews, described the road as a death trap, lamenting that its poor state has worsened their economic hardship due to constant damage to their vehicles.
One of the residents, Comrade Abayomi Oguntuase, said the road had been in a terrible condition for years despite repeated appeals.
“The Baale-Animashaun Road in Alakuko has been in a serious state of disrepair for over six or seven years,” he said. “We have made several efforts as residents and road users, even taking our complaints to social media.
“The last time we cried out, officials came and dumped large stones on the road as a form of palliative. But we don’t live in a stone age. What we need is proper rehabilitation.”
He added that the condition of the road had made movement difficult and affected businesses in the area.
“You can hardly drive on that road without damaging your tyres. The situation has created serious problems for residents and business owners.
“Nothing is working on that road,” he said.
Oguntuase also criticised ongoing drainage construction in the area without corresponding road repairs.
“They are constructing a massive drainage at the end of of the road near the expressway, yet the road itself is in terrible condition.
“It’s like putting the cart before the horse. If they eventually decide to fix the road, they may have to destroy that drainage,” he added.
He noted that the road serves as an important alternative route connecting parts of Ogun State to Lagos, especially during traffic on the expressway.
“It is a very long road, linking Sango and other parts of Ogun State to Lagos. I don’t understand why it has been abandoned for so long,” he said.
Another resident, Ade Makinde, highlighted the road’s economic importance and the hardship its condition has caused.
“It is difficult to quantify the time and resources lost because of that road. It is the most important route in that axis. When there is traffic on the expressway, this is the alternative route people rely on,” he said.
He added that the poor condition of the road had affected emergency response and vehicle maintenance.
“Even when you call the police, it can take 30 to 40 minutes to reach us because of the road, when it should only take a few minutes.
“Vehicles break down frequently—within two hours of using that road, you may already be spending money on repairs. It is very discouraging,” he said.
Makinde warned that the situation could worsen during the rainy season.
“We don’t need palliatives; we need a complete reconstruction. Once the rains start, the road becomes completely impassable, and residents are forced to use inner roads. We are appealing to the government to come to our aid,” he added.
Similarly, another resident, Matthew Adeleye, urged the government to prioritise the rehabilitation of the road, describing it as economically significant.
“We want to appeal to the government to repair this major road. It should not be abandoned. The road is no longer motorable,” he said.
Adeleye explained that the road links Lagos and Ogun states, serving several communities along the corridor.
“The economic importance of this road cannot be ignored. It connects Alakuko in Lagos to areas like Alagbole and Akute in Ogun State, eventually linking to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. It is a critical route and should not be left in this condition,” he said.
He added that the road had been in a deplorable state for over a decade, significantly affecting travel time.
“A journey that should take a short time now takes up to two and a half hours because the road is in such bad shape. It affects countless communities,” he said.
Efforts to reach the Lagos State Ministry of Works through its spokesperson, Shina Odunuga, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to him had yet to be responded to as of the time of filing this report.
