Ogun State Roads and the Cost of Deliberate Neglect; Reflections After the Anthony Joshua Accident -By Titilayo Oladimeji

For someone like me who has lived virtually my entire life between two states in Nigeria, Ogun and Lagos, I consider myself well placed to speak authoritatively on the deplorable living conditions, particularly the state of roads, in Ogun State.

I was born nearly four decades ago. My parents and I spent the first decade of our lives in Ogun State, moving from Dalemo to Alakuko, then to Ijoko-Ota, before we finally relocated to Alagbado, ironically, a Lagos community that directly adjoins Ogun State in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Anyone familiar with the geography of both states will agree that Lagos and Ogun are, in many respects, twin states. You can walk along a street identified as part of Lagos State, only to be told that the next few buildings fall within Ogun State. The streets are that interconnected. It is therefore not unusual for someone to live in Ogun State and literally trek to work in Lagos State.

However, as I grew older and developed a more mature understanding of governance and development, it did not take long to realize that despite their physical closeness, the developmental gap between Lagos and Ogun States is as wide as heaven is from earth.

Over the years, Lagos State has consistently invested in road infrastructure, extending development even to its outskirts. Governors across different administrations, most notably Babatunde Raji Fashola and Governor Ambode paid significant attention to road networks, including boundary and suburban areas in Lagos State. Ogun State, on the other hand, largely concentrated its infrastructure efforts around the state capital, Abeokuta, and a few select towns, while deliberately, yes, deliberately neglecting the outskirts of the state, especially communities bordering Lagos. I have yet to understand the reason for this.

I challenge anyone to visit areas where Lagos and Ogun States meet and observe the stark contrast. On the Lagos side, roads are often paved, maintained, and functional. Cross over into Ogun State, and development abruptly ends. Ogun State simply looks the other way. Yet, this same state has repeatedly lamented that residents who live in Ogun but work in Lagos should remit their taxes to Ogun State. One is compelled to ask: what tangible development justifies this demand?

Why am I raising this issue now?

A few days ago, world-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua was involved in a fatal accident along the Sagamu Expressway with his friends, resulting in the loss of two lives. I intentionally refer to it as Sagamu Expressway without attaching “Lagos” because the incident occurred on Ogun State soil. The horrifying images of how their bodies, including one that was tragically decapitated, were laid bare on the road were deeply dehumanizing. I am deeply saddened that the images kept replaying in my mind, even in my dreams.

What pained me even more was reading how influencers across the world generalized this tragedy as a “Nigerian problem,” branding the country as a typical third-world society. As a Nigerian who has lived all of her nearly four decades in this country, this particular generalization hurt deeply.

In all honesty, the blame in this instance should be squarely placed on the condition of Ogun State roads and the manner in which the state is governed. I strongly believe that this incident should spotlight Ogun State as a case study of governance failure, rather than being used to condemn Nigeria as a whole.

To compound the injury, Anthony Joshua himself was reportedly conveyed in a police van after the incident. While the vehicle may not have been rickety, it was still an indignity that should never have occurred under proper emergency-response standards. It would not have been this bad if it had happened on a Lagos State road. Given the personalities involved especially, a nearby private clinic’s ambulance might have saved the day.

However, it is my firm opinion that Ogun State, in its current form, has become too large for effective administration. The time has come to seriously consider splitting the state for better governance and accountability. I make this argument not as an indigene of Ogun State, but as someone who has lived there, schooled in one of its universities, and experienced firsthand the consequences of its administrative failures.

For the sake of effective management, infrastructure development, and human dignity, Ogun State should be restructured, I kid you not.

However, criticism is welcome.