IYAMOYE/KABBA ROAD IS HIGHLY DEPLORABLE: A CALL FOR URGENT AND EXPEDITED REHABILITATION
The deplorable state of the Iyamoye/Kabba Road has become a source of grave concern to residents, commuters, business owners, and travelers who ply this critical corridor daily. What was once a strategic route facilitating economic and social activities has now deteriorated into a nightmare of potholes, failed sections, erosion gullies, and impassable stretches that threaten lives and livelihoods. For months and indeed years, there have been persistent rumours that the road rehabilitation contract had been awarded. Yet, beyond these circulating claims, nothing visible has been done on the ground. No heavy machinery. No active construction. No meaningful intervention. The people are left to wonder: if truly awarded, why has work not commenced? And if not awarded, why the prolonged silence?
The Iyamoye/Kabba Road is not a mere local access road. It is a vital federal government highway linking the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with the western part of Nigeria through Ekiti State. This route serves as a major alternative corridor for travelers, traders, transporters, and interstate commuters moving between the North-Central region and the South-West.
Its economic importance cannot be overstated. Agricultural produce, goods, and services move through this axis daily. Small, medium and large scale businesses like Dangote Cement Industry as well as Mangal Cement Industry depend heavily on the smooth functioning of this road. When such a strategic road collapses, the ripple effects are felt far beyond the immediate communities.
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The suffering inflicted by the current state of the road is immeasurable. Motorists spend hours navigating what should ordinarily be a short journey. Vehicles break down frequently, leading to increased maintenance costs. Transport fares have skyrocketed as drivers attempt to cushion the damage to their vehicles.
Residents and Community dwellers along the corridor endure dust pollution in the dry season and muddy chaos during rainfall. When the rains set in, the situation becomes catastrophic. Sections of the road become completely impassable. In previous rainy seasons, travelers were forced to sleep on the road for days, stranded without access to food, water, or security. Such a situation is not only embarrassing but entirely unacceptable in a country of Nigeria’s stature.
It is important to acknowledge that elected representative have shown concern. Notably, Rt. Hon. Abejide Joseph Leke (OHF), despite not directly representing the immediate area, has out of his personal ingenuity and commitment intervened several times to grade some of the most degraded portions of the road making it temporarily passable. He had also appealed to the Federal Government for immediate rehabilitation on behalf of the neglected good people of the area.
While these efforts are commendable and worthy of appreciation, they remain palliative measures as grading provides only short-term relief. Without comprehensive reconstruction and proper rehabilitation, the road quickly deteriorates again, especially during the rainy season. Sadly, despite these well-meaning interventions, the overall condition of the road has not significantly improved.
This is the time for decisive leadership. We call on all our elected officials representing the affected constituency at the federal level: Distinguished Senator Sunday Karimi, Hon. Arch. Salman Idris, to show leadership and use their offices to wade swiftly into this matter. His Excellency, Governor Ododo should also act fast for the interest of his state and the people.
Representation must go beyond rhetoric; it must translate into tangible results. Advocacy, follow-up, and direct engagement with the appropriate federal authorities must be intensified without delay.
The people deserve transparency. If the contract has indeed been awarded, the contractor should be mobilized immediately to site. If bureaucratic bottlenecks exist, they must be resolved urgently. Silence and inaction can no longer be tolerated.
We appeal in the strongest possible terms to the Federal Government to come to the aid of the people. Infrastructure is not a luxury—it is a necessity. A nation’s development is measured not only by policy statements but by the quality of roads that connect its citizens.
The Iyamoye/Kabba Road is too strategic to be neglected. Allowing it to remain in its current deplorable condition undermines economic growth, endangers lives, and erodes public confidence.
As another rainy season approaches, the fear of a repeat of past ordeals looms large. We cannot afford to witness travelers stranded for days again. We cannot normalize suffering. We cannot accept preventable hardship as fate.
The time to act is now. Let the rehabilitation of the Iyamoye/Kabba Road commence without further delay.
Let machinery move to site. Let hope be restored. Let this vital federal artery regain its rightful status as a safe, reliable, and efficient route for all.
Anything less would be a disservice to the people and a failure of responsibility.
~~Olorunmaiye Joel
Writes from Abuja
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, FEBRUARY 15TH 2026)
