By: Sonaike Peter

On the 23rd of April, 2024, the street of Agbowo bore witness to an incident highlighting its insecure road conditions. Aloba Jonathan, a 300 level student of the Faculty of Education and avid Chelsea fan, had been eagerly anticipating the football match between Arsenal and Chelsea scheduled for 8 pm. At 7:20 pm, after dropping off his lecture bag at his rented apartment, he made his way towards a nearby viewing center.

Navigating the congested Adejumobi Road, Jonathan’s journey took a tragic turn when he was hit by a motorcycle. The collision left his phone shattered and his leg fractured.

The community quickly rallied around him, offering sympathy and urging him to seek medical attention. Jonathan was faced with a dire situation; his phone, essential for accessing study materials, was damaged, and his bank account through which he could access his token , a ₦5000 sum was withhold.

Desperate to keep up with his studies, he borrowed his friend Peter’s phone to contact his father, his primary sponsor, in hope of financial assistance to repair his damaged phone. Sadly, his father grappling with financial constraints could not. With exams underway, Jonathan found himself relying on borrowing Peter’s phone, a friend, for study, which proved inconvenient as Peter often needed his device.

This incident wasn’t Jonathan’s first brush with danger on the treacherous Adejumobi Road. Previously, he had been involved in a collision with a tricycle, resulting in the loss of his purchases from the evening market.

“Agbowo Road has always put me at a disadvantage. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been in accidents here. The recent motorcycle collision left me shaken; my damaged phone, lack of funds for repairs, and the mental stress severely impacted my exam preparation. The road is too narrow for the volume of traffic it accommodates and urgently needs expansion,” Jonathan told Indy Press.

Community Impact

Agbowo Road, a vital artery linking UI first gate and Agbowo Express is marred by hazardous conditions that pose significant risks to all who traverse it. The road’s deteriorated state impacts pedestrians, motorists, commercial transporters, and passengers, making every journey fraught with challenges and dangers. A 2019 report revealed that the population of the area has exceeded 90,000, rendering the road inadequate for its residents to navigate.

The road surface is marred by numerous potholes, posing significant accident risks. Some residents have attempted to fill these potholes with sand to facilitate smoother passage, but such efforts are short-lived.

(Picture showing a pothole on Agbowo Road, making it difficult for commuters to navigate.)

The road layout poses hazardous maneuvers, exacerbated by heavy student traffic, shoppers, transporters, and residents. Street vendors situated close to the road are particularly vulnerable to accidents. Street vendors, as observed by IndyPress, are often on Agbowo’s walkway, even on both sides of the road.

During rainy periods, the road becomes nearly impassable, forcing the transporters to suspend their services for the day, in turn impacting their livelihoods.

Help Us

Distressed residents have voiced their concerns, appealing for government intervention to address the perilous state of their lives due to the road’s condition.

Transporters affected by the road’s state also expressed their plight, urging the government to take necessary action. Mr. Muideen, a motorcycle taxi rider, lamented the road’s narrowness and its impassibility during rainy weather, which prevents him from working and earning a living. He implored the government to prioritize fixing and expanding the road for the community’s benefit.

“For us bike riders, when it rains, I cannot work because the road becomes so bad. We plead with the government to fix and expand this road. If they can do this for us, we will be very grateful,” Muhinden said.

Mr. Gabriel, a cab driver echoed similarly, describing how transporters attempt to fill potholes with sand to make the road navigable, albeit temporarily.

He highlighted erosion as a significant issue deforming the road system, and while local landlords have taken some initiative, he stressed the need for government intervention to comprehensively address the road’s deterioration.

“Agbowo Road is causing us a lot of problems. As motorcycle and taxi drivers, we have tried filling potholes with sand, but it’s not sustainable. We beg the government to remember us and fix and expand this road,” Mr. Gabriel pleaded.

For local vendors like Mr. Monday, the road’s poor condition directly impacts their daily experiences. He described how water accumulates on the road during the rainy season with drivers splashing it onto him and his goods, creating an unpleasant and challenging environment. Despite community stakeholders petitioning their local representatives, no action has been taken, prompting Mr. Monday to appeal directly to the government for road repairs.

“My experience as a seller in this area is terrible, especially during rainy weather. The road floods, splashing water on me and my goods. We need the government to come and fix this road for our convenience,” Mr. Monday urged.

Adekunle Basit, a resident since 2020 when he gained admission to the University of Ibadan, emphasized the longstanding poor condition of Agbowo Road. He stressed that adequate road infrastructure is essential for community development and expressed concern over drivers splashing water on pedestrians during rain. He called upon the government, NGOs, and the community to collaborate in resolving the road’s issues.

“Since I moved here, the road has always been terrible, with countless potholes. When it rains, drivers splash water on passers-by. The government, NGOs, and the community must find a solution to this bad road,” Adekunle emphasized.

Agbowo’s Infrastructure and Housing Challenges

In addition to road issues, Agbowo faces significant challenges with its infrastructure and housing. Many buildings in the area are old and structurally weak, posing risks to residents’ safety.

Emmanuel Oduku, a 300 level student of Agricultural Agronomics at University of Ibadan, shared his concerns about the dilapidated state of his rented apartment, fearing it might collapse. He expressed regret at not securing on-campus accommodation, where the housing conditions would likely be safer.

(Emmanuel’s dilapidated rented apartment)

“I’m constantly worried about this building collapsing. If I hadn’t missed out on University accommodation, I wouldn’t have considered renting such an apartment. The building structure is precarious and endangers its occupants. I hope the government can intervene,” Emmanuel told IndyPress.

Emmanuel’s experience underscores the urgent need for additional on-campus housing facilities to reduce reliance on off-campus accommodation in areas like Agbowo, where many buildings are substandard and poorly maintained.

Some landlords inflame housing issues by overcharging tenants despite providing inadequate amenities such as lack of bathrooms and unreliable utilities, further lowering living standards.

Recommendations

In an interview with IndyPress, Promise Boluwatife Solarin, a 400 level student of Urban and Regional Planning and expert, offered insights into addressing Agbowo’s infrastructural challenges. He highlighted the prevalence of substandard buildings in the area as a significant hazard to residents.

“To address these issues, urban renewal is essential. This involves partial or total clearance of decaying structures,” Solarin explained.

He noted that while total clearance is effective, logistical challenges arise in relocating affected residents. Therefore, a more pragmatic approach involves upgrading viable structures and demolishing those beyond repair, ensuring landlords secure proper documentation for compensation.

“The building structures in Agbowo are not up to standard, posing dangers to its inhabitants. Urban renewal is necessary to transform the area. Landlords should secure their Certificates of Ownership to qualify for compensation when structures are demolished,” Solarin emphasized.

Solarin urged University of Ibadan students to prioritize their safety and called upon the government to intervene and improve conditions in Agbowo.

“To all University of Ibadan students living in Agbowo, prioritize your safety. Government, come to our aid, because I am also part of the masses,” Solarin concluded.