‘Enough Is Enough’: Ayobo Residents Protest Decade-Long Abandonment of Alaja–Olayemi Road, Demand Urgent Government Action

Residents and Community Development Associations (CDAs) along Alaja Olayemi Road in the Ayobo Ipaja Local Council Development Area have made a passionate appeal to the Chairman of the LCDA, Hon. Lookman Agbaje, and the Lagos State Government under Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu, calling for the immediate completion of the long abandoned Alaja Olayemi Road project.

On Friday, January 23, 2026, residents and community leaders staged a peaceful protest to draw attention to their plight and press home their demands over the deplorable condition of the road, which they say has been neglected for over a decade.

According to the protesters, the sustained neglect of the road has brought untold hardship to residents, businesses, schoolchildren, and commuters, particularly during the rainy season.

They cited poor accessibility, perennial flooding, heightened security risks, damage to vehicles, and severe economic losses as direct consequences of the abandoned project.

The community called on both the state and local governments to urgently prioritise and complete what they described as a critically important road, stressing that its completion would significantly enhance transportation, safety, economic activities, and overall quality of life in the Ayobo Ipaja axis.

They emphasised that good roads are not a luxury but a necessity.

Speaking during the protest, Alhaja Sanni Anibire, a resident and former CDA chairman, expressed deep frustration over the prolonged neglect.

“I have lived on this road for over twenty years, and it has remained in this terrible state. I was the immediate past chairman of one of the CDAs here. Because of this road, we had to form a joint CDA forum made up of about seven CDAs. We have been pushing for the completion of this road since work stopped at Alaja,” she said.

She recalled that the road was last worked on in 2016 during the administration of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, when 114 roads were initiated across the state.

“Since then, nothing has happened. For years, we have been maintaining this road ourselves, spending millions of naira annually. But now, we are tired. We are frustrated. We are disenchanted. Yet, the local government comes here to collect taxes, and we pay. Our children cannot go to school when it rains. Our cars get damaged. Elderly people cannot walk, and persons living with disabilities struggle to access their homes. When it rains, you cannot drive into your house,” she lamented.

Alhaja Anibire further accused the council chairman of failing to fulfil promises made about five months ago.

“He only dumped sand and stones on the road, which made things worse. Rain has stopped now. This is the best time to fix the road. Even when it rains, there are engineers and supervisors who know what to do. Rain is not an excuse. If it rains for ten years, is this how we will continue to live? All we are asking for is for them to fix this road,” she added.

Also speaking, a septuagenarian, Reverend Nathaniel Olajide, appealed directly to Governor Sanwo Olu and Hon. Lookman Agbaje to urgently intervene before the rainy season returns.

“About five months ago, we heard the local government planned to rehabilitate six roads in this LCDA. We believed this road would be included because of its importance, but it was not. When we found out, we decided to protest. The chairman asked us to give him two weeks. After six weeks, he brought sand and stones, and since then, nothing has happened,” he said.

“I am over seventy years old. I should not be under the sun protesting. We pay our taxes promptly. We are begging them to please come to our aid,” he added.

The community also revealed that it had earlier written a formal petition dated May 1, 2025, to Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu, the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Environment, the Ipaja Ayobo LCDA Works Department, and the Lagos State House of Assembly member representing Alimosho Constituency II, drawing attention to the deplorable condition of the road.

In the letter, the residents described Alaja Olayemi Road as the only major access route serving over fifteen CDAs, noting that the road has become nearly impassable, especially during the rainy season, due to flooding from adjoining roads such as Koloba and Megida.

They highlighted the consequences of the neglect to include loss of productive hours, damage to vehicles and property, increased insecurity at night, and stagnation of local businesses and community development.

While acknowledging the Lagos State Government’s ongoing infrastructure efforts, the residents appealed for urgent intervention, stressing that the lives and livelihoods of thousands of Lagosians depend on the rehabilitation of the Alaja Olayemi Road.

“We are hopeful and confident that our voices will be heard and that action will be taken in the spirit of responsive governance,” the letter stated.