THE DIVERSION OF LAGOS- CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY INLAND INTO ONDO STATE AND EDO STATE, AND MANY QUESTIONS ARISING FROM ILAJE COASTAL COMMUNITIES

The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is a mega infrastructural project designed to link coastal communities from Lagos State, stretching across States in Southern Nigeria with access to the sea and creating alternative route for travellers in Nigeria.

Although, the projects attracted many criticisms since inception but the Federal Ministry of Works under Engr. Dave Umahi have demonstrated that vision with laid out plan, workable framework, available resources and implementation can turn the impossibility to possibility, and can also change the heart of the unbelievers to believers and supporters.

While some sections of the projects have been completed in some states, Lagos State for an example stretching into Ogun State and Ondo State, the recent change in Engineering plan from the original route in Ondo state, and the diversion inland 20km-30km away from the coastline to accommodate Edo state communities have raised many questions especially among the Ilaje communities with ocean access.

The Federal Ministry of Works have justified the diversion by citing many challenges attached with the alignment through Ilaje communities, with costs, environmental hazards as some reasons for diversion inland through Oke-Upare to communities in Ovia North and Ovia West local government area of Edo State. But Ilaje communities and their legal team are seeing the diversion and neglect of some Ilaje communities from another angle.

These have made intellectuals, political analyst, Non governmental organizations, Civil society organizations and others who are familiar with governance, politics, engineering, administration and leadership to come up with different questions;

1. Could the diversion from Ilaje communities be a form of punishment for the over ambitious character of the Governor?

2. Could it be that many sins and transgressions of the Governor have been visited on his community in the forward movement of Southern Nigeria coastal communities?

3. Would the diversion not discourage the £billion Aliko Dangote is bringing into Olokola FTZ as investment, as good investor consider transportation before commitment?

4. Is the Federal Government not impressed on how the Governor undermined the APC national leadership and treatment of party leaders during the party primary?

5. Could it be that the Federal Government reasons for the diversion are genuine and not politically motivated?

6. Could the alleged sponsorship of protest against APC national leadership emerged from the backyard of the Governor?

7. Could the rift between Ondo State and Ogun State on the issue of Eba Oil island not properly managed by the Ondo state counterparts?

8. Could favouritism and imposition of candidates in the APC primary election across senatorial district before national intervention paint the sunshine state executive leader as a dictator and wants to be humble by F. G Power brokers?

9. Could the diversion be a fair share in distribution of Federal Government presence in Ondo State, while Ilaje benefits from the proposed seaport, other underdeveloped Ondo state communities integrated into the coastal highway stretching into Edo state?

By: Prince Samuel Adesegun Egunjobi

MBA, B. Sc. (Hons), Diploma

Email: Egunjobisamuel0707@gmail.com