ABIODUN NEJO writes on the dilapidated federal roads in Ekiti State and the need for urgent attention The federal roads in Ekiti State have remained in deplorable condition year in year out leaving road users from and outside the state in pains, anguish and at a loss. The federal roads in the state included the Akure – Ado Ekiti Road, Ado Ekiti – Ikare Road, Ado – Ifaki – Oye – Ikole – Omuo Road and the Ado – Aramoko – Itawure Road. While the Ado – Akure Road takes traffic to and from Ekiti and Ondo states and beyond, the Ado – Ikare Road connects Ekiti and Ondo states to Abuja , the northern parts of the country and as well the Southwestern states. The same is applicable to Ado – Ifaki – Oye – Ikole – Omuo Road and the Ado – Aramoko – Itawure Road. The roads are ever-busy with cars, buses and articulated trucks due to their connective roles between North and the Southwest zones and as well neighbouring communities. However, Ekiti State Government is about completing rehabilitation of Ado-Igali Road. Also, the Ado-Akure Road is receiving attention as Federal Government contractors are working on the road. The coming of the rainy season this year has added salt to the injury for users of the various federal roads who have to contend with being stranded from one point to the other on the roads. Travelers, who have to ply two or three of the federal roads to access their destinations have sad experiences to relate as they now spend longer hours or days on the roads. Also, there have been frequent incidents of fallen trucks, with some trapped in the middle of the roads in the process of negotiating the bad portions, causing gridlocks that take long hours or days to clear. An elder statesman and former Secretary General, Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide, who aptly captured the condition of the federal roads in the state, called for urgent attention of governments. Olajide, while making “an urgent appeal for remedial measures to address poor condition of key roads in Ekiti State,” recalled the appeal of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti on the road to the institution, the Ado – Ijan Road portion of Ado – Ikare Road. The university management had on June 2025 raised an alarm regarding the threat to access to the institution, the Ekiti State Cargo Airport, and other establishments and communities along the Ado – Ijan axis due to the deteriorating condition of the road. Olajide said, “I am particularly concerned, and it should concern all Ekiti people that ABUAD, with record breaking achievements in entrepreneurial development, commercial agriculture, medical services, innovative research and community impact, is at risk of being cut off from its major access route. “The situation of the road definitely demands a more effective intervention which should be immediate. I therefore appeal to Ekiti State Government to collaborate with the Federal Controller of Works in the state to implement prompt measures that will prevent the total collapse of the road. “I understand that the story of the poor state of the Ado – Ijan Road is similar to those of many sections of federal roads that traverse Ekiti State such that road travelers are compelled to seek tortuously long alternative routes in their quest to get to their destinations. “I am told that after Ijan Ekiti, a section of the Ijan – Ikare Road just before Iluomoba is very bad. I am also aware that for more than three years, the Odo Ayedun – Ayebode section of the Ifaki – Omuo Road has been in a very parlous state.  “I have heard that since the onset of this year’s rains, the Igede – Aramoko section has deteriorated and that the Aramoko – Itawure section has broken down completely. These are not cheering reports. “I am told that it is now very difficult to get a public transport that would pass through Efon and Aramoko on a journey from the Lagos/Abeokuta/Ibadan axis to Ado Ekiti because of the poor state of the road from Itawure to Aramoko to Igede This is very sad”. “I want to use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government to, as a matter of utmost urgency, intervene and commence comprehensive repairs and rehabilitation of federal roads within Ekiti State. “Timely action in this regard will greatly enhance the lives of our people and advance the socio-economic development of the state. Our representatives in the National Assembly should do all they can to pass this message across to the appropriate quarters and follow it up,” the elder statesman concluded. ABUAD Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Supo Ijabadeniyi, had at a press conference in Ado Ekiti to celebrate the ranking of the institution as among best 100 universities in the world, called for the repair of the Ado – Ijan Road. Ijabadeniyi said, “If the university is more accessible, it will attract patronage from both local and international audience as a result of which it would win more laurels for the state and country at large”. Residents of Ekiti State and as well users of the road cannot but recall the promises of the Federal Government concerning federal roads in the state. The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the National Assembly member representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, last year disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the construction of the Ado – Ijan – Ikare Road. Also, in March 2024, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, promised that the Federal Government would speed up work to ensure timely completion of Ekiti roads for the citizens’ benefits of and economic development of the state. And in September last year, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that the Federal Executive Council had approved contract for the rehabilitation of Iyamoye (Kogi State) – Omuo – Ikole – Ifaki – Ado Ekiti. But the roads are getting worse, tortuous and agonising many months after. In November last year, placards-carrying students of Federal University Oye Ekiti stormed the office of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency in Ado Ekiti to protest accidents and deaths of their colleagues due to the poor condition of the Ifaki – Ikole – Oye Road. The students had, during the protest, given the Federal Government 48 hours ultimatum to begin repairs on the federal road, saying, “Tragically, this road has been in state of disrepair for an extended period leading to numerous accidents, loss of lives and untold hardship”. FERMA Federal Road Maintenance Engineer, Simon Adeniyi, reacting to the students’ demands, affirmed that the Federal Government had awarded the contract for the road’s repair, assuring that work would soon begin, saying, “I assure you that any moment from now, the contractor will resume”. An assistant driver, Ismail Bala, who was Lagos bound, said recently that their truck got stuck at a point along Ijan – Iluomoba axis, saying, “We have been here for days now. People are making efforts bringing stones. We are praying we can get out of here”. Another road user, Ayo Aregbesola, lamented that “the deplorable condition of the Ifaki – Oye – Ikole Omuo Road, has continued to hinder free movement of goods and services and has exposed road users to accidents, armed robbery, kidnapping and other dangers”. Aregbesola, who described the road condition as “an economic and safety disaster waiting to happen,” appealed to the Federal Government and its Ekiti State counterpart “to take swift action to rehabilitate and reconstruct the road. “This road is too strategic to be neglected. It connects the South-West to the North and plays a vital role in regional integration and commerce. We cannot afford to ignore it any longer,” the engineer said. Worried by daily torturous experience on the road, the Odo Ayedun Concerned Citizens’ Forum, said, “This road, which serves as a major artery for economic and social activities between the South-West and the Northern part of Nigeria, has become nearly impassable, causing untold hardship to commuters, transporters, and residents along the route”. The Forum, in a statement from the Office of the Director of Press, urged the federal and Ekiti State governments “to urgently mobilize efforts toward the repair and upgrade of the road to alleviate the suffering of the people and restore the economic viability of the area”. Also, a People’s Democratic Party governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Emmanuel Fayose, who related his experience on the federal roads in Ekiti State, said it was indicative of the poor governance in the state as he queried, “Is there a governor in this state?” Fayose, moved by the plight of travelers, who said their vehicles had been stuck for days along the Ijan – Iluomoba axis of Ado – Ijan – Ikare Road, recently provided truckloads of gravel stones to fill up the dilapidated portions to enable the travelers have access. Fayose said, “As I passed through Ekiti State recently, I was struck by the deplorable condition of our roads. From Efon to Igede, Itawure to Aramoko and Erio axis, the roads are in shambles. Vehicles are constantly breaking down and the lack of maintenance is not only causing inconvenience, but also posing a significant risk to lives. “As you enter Ekiti State, you will be greeted by potholed roads that are detrimental to vehicles and human lives. It is disheartening to see that the government has neglected these critical infrastructure projects. “The condition of our roads is a perfect example of the neglect we have suffered under the current administration,” the PDP chieftain said. But an All Progressives Congress chieftain and former member, House of Representatives Committee on Roads, Bimbo Daramola, said the condition of the federal roads should not be blamed on the state government, adding, “We need a stakeholders’ engagement now on the federal roads in Ekiti”. Daramola said, “Virtually all the roads that criss-cross Ekiti State are federal roads. Tell me how many roads can withstand 350 articulated trucks carrying hundreds of tonnes of goods every day that can be sustained by a state like Ekiti?” The former lawmaker, who said the heavy laden trucks were daily using the roads to their destinations mostly Ekiti State, advised the Federal Government, “What the roads need must be holistic starting from the design, construction, quality of the roads so that we do not spin around in the same cycle”. The Director General, Ekiti State Bureau of Community Communications, Mary Oso Omotosho, says that although federal roads are not the direct responsibility of state government, Oyebanji has been proactive regarding their poor conditions in the state, adding, “It is heartening to know that genuine efforts are being made to address these issues”. Omotosho, highlighting some efforts in the road users’ interest, said, “The Ado – Ifaki Road (part of Ado- Ifaki – Ikole – Omuo Road), a federal road, has just been completed under the diligent leadership of Governor Oyebanji. “The governor has strategically provided alternative roads to the poor Federal Government roads for travelers. Ado – Akure has two alternative roads viz: Ikere -Igbaraodo – Igbaraoke – Akure Road and Ado – Ilawe – Igbaraodo -Igbaraoke Road. “The alternative road for Ado -Aramoko – Itawure – Ilesa axis is now Ado – Ilawe – Erinjiyan – Ikogosi – Efon Alaaye, while that of Ado – Ijan – Agbado axis is the Ekiti State Ring Road phase 1”. Omotosho, who said that construction of Akure – Ado Road was ongoing under Federal Government contracts, added, “Meanwhile, Governor Oyebanji has invested over N400m in compensation payment for the Ikere – Akure, Ado – Ijan and Omuo -Ifaki roads. Currently, the governor is actively resolving logistics issues to ensure speedy delivery”. APC State Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, in his reaction, said, “Talking of federal roads, it is not only in our state, the federal roads across the country are subject to wear and tear and they are being worked on. “You will see that the roads are being worked on from Lokoja towards Abuja and if you look at Ondo/Ekiti axis, Ikere – Akure Road, it is being worked on. “Most of the roads in the state have been penciled down and I believe that they are work in progress. I would not say that they are totally bad, they are subject to being repaired, they are subject to being maintained,” Dipe said.