Residents of Ijoka in the Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday took to the streets to protest the deplorable state of the Ijoka/Ijo Mimo road, accusing the government of neglecting the area for years.
The protesters, who gathered in the early hours, blocked access to the road, lamenting that it had become impassable and a source of daily hardship for motorists and pedestrians.
Chanting anti-government songs, the demonstrators described the road’s condition as a sign of abandonment by the state government, claiming it had caused multiple accidents and hindered local businesses.
One of the residents, Ayanfe Adeyemi, said the road had been left unattended for nearly four years under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“For the past three to four years, this has been our worst experience. Whether during the rainy or dry season, this road remains terrible,” Adeyemi said. “We are giving the government one week to return tractors to the site; otherwise, we’ll be back on the streets.”
Another resident, Oni Alade, appealed to Governor Aiyedatiwa to intervene, saying traders were struggling to move goods to and from the market.
“I trekked almost five miles to vote for Aiyedatiwa. We just want him to fix this road and ease our suffering,” she said.
Responding to the protest, Chairman of Akure South Local Government, Hon. Gbenga Fasua, assured the crowd that the state government had not abandoned the project.
He explained that plans were ongoing to resume work on the Ijoka road soon, adding that the government was aware of residents’ hardship.
The Ijoka road dualisation project was initiated by the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration and remains one of the major infrastructure works yet to be completed in the state.
