Motorists, travellers stranded as Ado-Ilawe-Ekiti road collapses

MANY travellers and motorists on Wednesday were left stranded following the collapse of the Ado-Ekiti-Ilawe-Ekiti road, which connects the state to Ondo State. 

Nigerian Tribune observed that the road, before the collapse, served as an alternative route to people travelling between Ekiti and Ondo states. 

The other road between the two states, the AdoAkure expressway, is in deplorable condition. It was gathered that the Ado-Ekiti-Ilawe-Ekiti road collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday following persistent torrential rain experienced of late in the state. 

The development made motorists and other travellers coming into Ekiti and going outside the state to make a detour and ply other routes connecting their destinations. 

Some of them who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune lamented the deplorable condition of roads in the state, just as they called on the state and federal governments to urgently work on the road in the interest of the citizens. 

A motorist coming into Ado-Ekiti from Akure, Johnson Olaoluwa, stated that he spent four hours on the road before he made a detour to pass Ilawe-Igede-Iyin road to connect the Ekiti State capital. 

He said: “This is what we have been clamouring for in the last few years that these roads are in bad shape, but they did not listen. 

“I have been here over four hours ago hoping that we will see how to pass and as you can see, it is not possible. 

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“I will have to make a detour down to Igede to Iyin and connect Ado-Ekiti; you can see the stress and number of minutes it will take. Government should quickly come here and work on this section which collapsed now.” 

Speaking, the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, who visited the scene, commended the state government for its responsiveness, adding that quality work should be done to make the road accessible to the people. 

Oba Alabi said: “We need immediate revamping of that place by the state government and thank God they have responded because I saw their officials at the place. They are mobilising to the site now. 

“It must be urgent work because as it stands, it is not passable at the moment; the community has been cutoff.” 

Special Adviser to the Governor on Roads and Infrastructure, Sunday Adunmo, told the Nigerian Tribune that he led a team to the scene, saying it was a natural occurrence as a result of the water flowing from the rock in the area. 

He promised that the state government would fix the affected portion in no distant time, noting that the place had been barricaded to avoid any casualty on the part of motorists, especially at night. 

He said, “It was a natural thing; just a run-off from the rock. You cannot stop movement of water from the rock. 

“It is not the collapse of bridge but the road. We are in the rainy season and don’t forget buildings are springing up from the other side of the hill too. “I think it started before now, nobody knows, it was the culmination of what has been happening there over the years; that was what led to the collapse of the road. 

“We are moving in immediately; we have blocked the road, making way for the alternative. We are looking at Igede-Ekiti, making that place motorable as link road, then we move back to fix the place as soon as possible.” 

Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ekiti State has issued a travel advisory to motorists following the collapse of the road, just as it stated that officials of the corps were already on ground diverting traffic from the area. 

The Public Education Officer of Ekiti command, Taiwo Ojo, said, “FRSC officials are on ground for traffic diversion. This will continue until the needful is done as appropriate authorities have been contacted. “Motorists are advised to use the following alternative routes; Ado – Iyin – Igede – Ilawe – Igbaraodo – Igbaraoke – Akure and Ado – Iju/Itaogbolu – Akure roads.”