That is why the whole community gets polluted with the hooting sound of vehicles as early as 4.00 a.m. everyday as many residents have to scramble to get out of town before dawn so as not to get trapped in the traffic and arrive late at their work place.
The road networks within Ikorodu town are even more problematic. Despite the fact that the town has good urban and regional planning with a network of roads, these roads are in bad shape making residents wonder if Ikorodu was a component of Lagos State where Governor Raji Fashola has been acclaimed to be doing well.
Until recently, Ikorodu town lacked government presence, as residents have not enjoyed the dividend of democracy as their counterparts in other areas of the state.
Few on- going road projects, the Awolowo road and Suleiman Shoderu street, power line area had since been abandoned by the local contractors handling them.
The only road project started and completed so far under the present democratic dispensation in the town is the Ibeshe road that was handled by the Arab Contractors.
Those who can afford the bills have since relocated and abandoned their palatial homes for rented apartment elsewhere within the Lagos metropolis. Some of them who left their family behind return back to town every Friday for a weekend re-union with wife and children, before going back to their satellite homes on Sunday night.
Benjamin Okito is one of the many residents who had since abandoned his palatial home at Ijede because of the traffic situation within Ikorodu town and Ikorodu road.
The banker who spoke with The Guardian few days ago painted a pathetic picture of an average Ikorodu resident, when he said:
“I relocated from Ikorodu about four years ago when the dam water from Oyo State cut off Ikorodu road for two weeks. I was forced to patronize the service of ferry operators then and I had a terrible experience. So the following day I went through Ikorodu road and I saw hell. I did it for three days.
I will arrive home at 1.00 a.m. and by 3.00 a.m. I will be ready to go to work, no sleep, because of the traffic situation. And when solution was not forth coming.
I decided to go for a mini-flat at Ketu where I moved into, leaving my wife and children in Ikorodu. I did it to save my job and my wife understands this. That is where I am till today, from Monday to Friday.
That the effect of traffic gridlock is of grave consequence to mankind is an understatement, as medical practitioners who spoke on the matter said it could cause untimely death to those who are constantly exposed to long periods in the traffic.
According to Mr. Tietie Enajite, a medical doctor at the Surulere Medical Centre, long period of stay in the traffic exposes one to excessive motor vehicle emissions made up of by products like gasoline evaporation that could mix with other air components and compounds to form nitric acid vapour and related particles that can penetrate the sensitive parts of the human lungs to cause damage and premature death.
On the effect of reduced hours of night rest, he said: “Waking up early reduces the hours of sleep and this can cause stress that can lead to CNS and CVS disorder such as hypertension. It can also weaken the immune system.”
According to the Doctor, those who are constantly exposed to long period in the traffic could be more prone to lung cancer asthma, cardiovascular issues and premature death, because of the particulate matter they inhale while in the traffic.
To the Ayagburen of Ikorodu, Oba Afolabi Salaudeen Oyefusi, the bloated development, which orchestrated the present traffic situation within the town and on Ikorodu road, was an act of God.
“We thank God for his mercy. It is God’s grace that brought development to Ikorodu.
With the influx of people to the town, we need to have this traffic congestion. When Ikorodu was founded many decades ago, people did not envisage this development. In the first place, the nearness to Lagos has become an advantage.
We started experiencing this development in Ikorodu during the tenure of General Gbadamosi Babangida. During his tenure, he put in his best and with Gods grace, his best added more development to Ikorodu being the nearest city to Lagos.
During the time of former military administrator, Brigadier General Buba Marwa, we witnessed a lot of development. The extension of Ikorodu Road added more impetus to the growing nature because it brought the town nearer to Lagos Island.”
“The influx of people to Ikorodu, the location of more factories in the town which has the biggest industrial estate in the state and Nigeria at large, the relocation of traders from Lagos Island to Ikorodu, and a handful of other factors have contributed to the development of Ikorodu and the subsequent traffic congestion,” he said.
According to the Royal father, Ikorodu was a town once rejected by all including the indigenes, adding that the story has since changed because of his persistent enlightenment effort and religious tolerance.
On the condition on Ikorodu Road and the road network within the town, the Oba said he was aware that government has a big plan for the city as it has now realized its importance to the state.
He said he would not relent in his efforts at mounting more pressure on the state government for the provision of necessary infrastructure that will bring comfort to his subjects, Ikorodu residents.
The Oba who spoke with The Guardian in his palace few days ago appealed to the state and Federal Governments to ensure the maintenance of road infrastructure in the town.
“I recently embarked on a tour of the over 170 towns and villages in Ikorodu division and I realized that Itoikin road (Ijebu -Ode road), which was commissioned during the administration of General Gowon/Mobolaji Johnson of Lagos State, was in a dangerous state.
The Federal Government has abandoned many of its roads. The Shagamu road, also in Ikorodu, is also in a terrible state.
The Ogun and Lagos States governments had last year agreed to rehabilitate their own portions of the road, but the road is still in its dangerous state and causing traffic snarl.
We appeal to all authorities concerned to take urgent action and rehailitate these roads in order to reduce the suffering of the residents on these roads.”
The Oba also appealed to the state government to expand and upgrade the Ikorodu General Hospital, by making it an extension of the state’s teaching hospital in view of the development and the growing population of the city.
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