society
As Ogun moves to preserve Abeokuta-Sagamu road By Funmi Branco
As Ogun moves to preserve Abeokuta-Sagamu road
By Funmi Branco
WHEN in January 2022 President Muhammadu Buhari visited Ogun State to commission projects, he could not help exulting in the sheer beauty of the roads constructed by the Dapo-Abiodun led government in Ogun State. He said: “I arrived early today and commission the 14Km Ijebu-Ode, Mojoda Epe road which is reconstructed to a modern expressway by your administration. This impressive road will complement the Shagamu Benin expressway that the FG is presently reconstructing which is also due commissioning this year. Just across the road is the 42-km Shagamu Interchange Abeokuta road which the state government has reconstructed and equipped with street lights and other modern furniture which I will commission shortly. I am particularly impressed by the quality and standard of the road projects.”
The president was not being facetious; he was being very real. What he called the “constructive engagement cooperation and collaboration between the state and Federal Government” was evident for all to see. Travelling on the 42 km Abeokuta-Sagamu road had a delightful feel. Electric polls dotted the road, with clear lighting making driving at night such a beauty. The road was adjudged the best in the country given the modern furniture. The fact is well known that the Abeokuta- Sagamu Interchange road, the ceremonial route to the Gateway state capital, Ibara, Kuto, MKO Abiola Stadium, Oke Mosan, Laderin, Kobape, Siun to Sagamu interchange, links the Lagos Sagamu expressway to Lagos and the South-East. With the replacement of new asphalt overlay of both binder and wearing course, the replacement of cleared road shoulders and median with layby, reconstruction of existing earth drains with adequate turnout where necessary, and provision of new street lights for illumination at nights for safety and security purposes, the road was such a soul-lifting sight. Industries and housing estates sprang up and blossomed very quickly. They are now deeply entrenched in the Ogun ecology.
Driving on the road, now in September 2023, is still a great experience, but beyond the beauty lies a huge cost to Ogun State in financial terms. Knowing the strategic importance of the road, the Ogun State government, this week, took a great step to arrest an unsavoury development, reiterating its commitment to ensuring that it remains in good condition for motorists and other road users. It announced a plan to collaborate with truck owners and other stakeholders on the road. Lamenting the continuous deterioration of the road due to the pressure daily put on it by the obvious increase in the number of heavy duty trucks servicing the large number of quarries and housing estates in the area, the state government, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, said it would continue to seek ways to continue maintaining the road in spite of the huge financial implications to the state government.
Here’s why: there are currently about 40 quarries in Abeokuta, the state capital, while another 20 operate along the road. The weight of the trucks bearing the granite, cement, stone base, laterite and other materials, with some of them often overloaded, continues to cause immense damage to the road, making the government to rehabilitate it at huge costs. That is not all: further pressure is exerted on the road by trucks and other heavy-duty machinery deployed by estate developers in the area. Said Akinsanya: “We all can attest to the growing numbers of housing estates and other companies on that axis of the state…Everyday, you also hear of accidents that leave street lights damaged by overspeading drivers. This, coupled with the incessant vandalism of street lights and other infrastructure on the road by hoodlums, makes constant rehabilitation a must.”
If motorists take advantage of the smoothness of the road and engage in speeding, that can only lead to accidents. It is a fact that most of the vehicular accidents witnessed on the road affect the road furniture. This gives room to vandals to cut the cables and cart away iron. The government is then forced to move in and replace them. While security agents have the mandate to enforce traffic rules, the government has to do much more, which is why it now wants a collaboration with the truck owners implicated in the constant damage to the road. They will be required to pay mere stipends when the trucks use the road, with the proceeds used to augment the government’s financial investment in the maintenance of the road.
As our elders say, if soup is delicious, money has played its part in the story. The Abeoluta-Sagamu road has transformed the Ogun environment, but great care must be taken to ensure that motorists from Ibadan and other parts of the country plying that road continue to escape the hassles that defined travelling to Ogun State till the Dapo Abiodun administration came on board and spawned a new reality. A road of such strategic importance, equipped with state-of-the-art furniture, can only take so much damage. With a network of industries attracted by the road, with developers and estate owners within that corridor doing brisk business, the road will need to be in prime, unblemished condition. If those whose trucks and big lorries leave the road in an unpleasant state are being asked to be part of the conversation on its maintenance, which the Ogun State government has hitherto ensured in order to deliver a pleasant driving experience for the road users, even at night, it is the right thing to do. The truck owners service the construction companies within Sagamu-Ibadan corridor, and within the Sagamu-Ore corridor. The road is overused and this means that the government must continually spend money on it, a responsibility it has undertaken so far without fail. But its resources are not infinite, and the new initiative targeted at sustainable maintenance of the road deserves to be applauded by all.
Branco sent this piece through [email protected]
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society
FROM GLOBAL IMPACT TO NATIONAL SERVICE: DR. PRINCESS CHETACHI NWOGA-NWOGA-ECTON ACCEPTS CALL TO SERVE OWERRI ZONE
FROM GLOBAL IMPACT TO NATIONAL SERVICE: DR. PRINCESS CHETACHI NWOGA-NWOGA-ECTON ACCEPTS CALL TO SERVE OWERRI ZONE
In a defining moment that has electrified the political landscape of Imo State, globally acclaimed philanthropist, Dr. Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton, has officially accepted the clarion call of Owerri Zone youths to contest for the Senate seat in the forthcoming general elections.
Speaking from the United States, where she continues to advance her humanitarian engagements, Dr. Nwoga-Ecton made her position known in a heartfelt and resolute address that has since resonated across communities at home and in the diaspora.
A distinguished recipient of the prestigious Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award under the administration of Joe Biden, Dr. Nwoga-Ecton has built a legacy rooted in compassion, service, and global impact.
As the Founder of the When In Need Foundation, she has transformed countless lives through initiatives focused on empowerment, healthcare, education, and social welfare.
Beyond her widely recognized humanitarian strides, she is also a passionate and consistent advocate of agriculture. For many years, Dr. Nwoga-Ecton has championed farming as a tool for economic growth and food security, personally supporting farmers across several local governments in Imo State.
Through her initiatives, she has distributed seedlings to farmers, helping to boost local agricultural productivity and encourage sustainable livelihoods.
Her impact is equally profound among widows and women, whom she has continually supported through financial assistance and structured skills acquisition programs.
These empowerment efforts have enabled countless women to regain economic independence, rebuild their lives, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Responding to the persistent and passionate agitation by Owerri Zone youths, she declared:
“After deep reflection, consultations, and prayers, I have decided to humbly accept the call of our vibrant and courageous youths to serve.
This is not a personal ambition, but a collective mission — a responsibility to represent, to uplift, and to deliver purposeful leadership to our people.”
Her acceptance has been met with overwhelming jubilation, especially among young people who have long advocated for credible, people-oriented representation.
For many, her decision signals the dawn of a new era — one anchored on integrity, inclusiveness, and visionary leadership.
Dr. Nwoga-Ecton emphasized that her transition from global humanitarian service to active political participation is a natural extension of her lifelong commitment to humanity:
“Service knows no boundaries.
Whether on the global stage or within our communities, the goal remains the same — to create opportunities, restore hope, and build a future that works for everyone.
Owerri Zone deserves a strong, compassionate voice at the Senate, and I am ready to answer that call.”
Political analysts have described her entry into the race as a game-changer, citing her international exposure, proven track record, and deep grassroots connection as key strengths that set her apart.
For the youths of Owerri Zone, their voices have not only been heard — they have been answered.
And in Dr. Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton, they see not just a candidate, but a symbol of hope, a vessel of change, and a leader ready to chart a new course for the future.
Dr. Chris Oko Odey
Abuja.
The award she received from the US is the presidential lifetime achievement award not award of excellence please take note before publishing
STILL ON DELE MOMODU by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
I saw Dele Momodu’s response to my article on him & was amused.
I tried to be polite & restrained in that write up & I didn’t realise that it would hurt him so deeply. Yet for that I offer no apology.
I said he sounded tired & worne in his interview with Seun Okinbaloye but from his response today it is clear that he is now completely unhinged.
He has blown his gasket & his reaction is rooted more in emotion than it is in logic.
Frankly I feel sorry for him because it is clear that he is fighting a lost cause, he is badly diminished & he is now a shadow of his former self.
For Bobby Dee the glory days are certainly over & I suspect that by 2027 when Tinubu emerges victorious he will crawl back into the hole that he originally came from.
Perhaps at that time he will go back to taking pictures of former Governor Nyesom Wike, the Adeleke’s & other prominent figures for a living & shining their shoes.
Playing clips of things that I said about President Tinubu 11 years ago when I was in the then opposition & when I led the media section of President Jonathan’s presidential campaign organisation will not help him to get rid of the stench of faeces that he has immersed himself in today & neither does it derogate from the fact that he was speaking rubbish when he said Tinubu is a dictator.
Unlike others I will never deny what I have said in the past about Tinubu or anyone else but at least I had the decency & courage to admit that I was wrong & ever since I left the then opposition and joined the APC in 2021 I have not looked back.
Not only did I fight for Tinubu in 2023 during the presidential campaign but I have remained loyal & committed to him & his cause since then and I have no apology for that either.
Unlike Dele I did not benefit from him for close to 40 years, eat from his plate, collect handouts from him, stay in his house, claim to be his brother and yet refuse to support him in achieving his dream of becoming President.
Bobby Dee’s nose is so far up the posterior of those he is now slaving for that he forgot to mention the fact that every single one of them, at some point or the other in their sorry lives & career, have not only changed political parties several times over but have also opposed Tinubu bitterly & even more vehemently than I ever did only to go back & later re-align with him.
I do not begrudge them or blame them for that because that is the nature of politics all over the world.
There are no permanent friends or enemies but only permanent interests and in my view it is in the interest of Nigeria that Tinubu continues the reforms that he started in 2023 after he was elected President.
It is also my view that Nigeria must never fall into the hands of the conglomeration of court jesters, sorry clowns & motely crew of insufferable jokers that Dele is now speaking, slaving & fronting for.
I will still be gentle with my old friend because I have a soft spot for him but if he ever crosses the line with me again I will stop being so restrained.
He does not have the stomach for a real fight because he is vain and thin-skinned. He also has an over- inflated opinion of himself and a huge ego.
These are weaknesses in this game and not strengths and as we get closer to the presidential campaign he will learn this the hard way.
Meanwhile he should stay in his lane otherwise I will give him plenty to write about.
For him to compare Tinubu to Abacha was wrong and if he was anything like the dictator that Dele claims he is both Dele and those he speaks for today would either be dead or in jail.
He should count himself lucky that our President is a democrat and not a monster.
Dele’s lies, duplicity & shameless perfidy have finally been exposed & are as obvious & glaring as his very large stomach.
I advise him to do some press ups & go jogging because unlike before I will no longer remain silent as he & his friends throw mud at our President.
Game on!
(FFK)
society
OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture: Sheikh Jamiu Asanbe Urges Muslims to Avoid Showboating in Worship
OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture: Sheikh Jamiu Asanbe Urges Muslims to Avoid Showboating in Worship.
The Chief Imam of Agelete Central Mosque, Ikoyi Lagos, Alhaji Jamiu Asanbe, has urged Muslims to remain sincere in their acts of worship and avoid the temptation of seeking public praise for good deeds.
The respected Islamic scholar gave this admonition while delivering a lecture at the OWUTU FM 2026 Ramadan Lecture, held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, in Lagos.
Speaking on the importance of sincerity in Islam, Sheikh Asanbe cautioned Muslim faithful against what he described as “showboating” — the practice of performing charitable acts or religious duties merely to gain recognition or admiration from others.
According to him, every act of worship in Islam must be done purely for the sake of Almighty Allah.
He explained that while acts such as prayer, fasting, and charity are fundamental pillars of faith, their true value lies in the intention behind them.
The cleric therefore encouraged Muslims to remain genuine in their devotion and avoid mixing their faith with the desire for worldly praise or attention.
Sheikh Asanbe also reminded the faithful that the holy month of Ramadan presents a unique opportunity for spiritual renewal. He urged believers to increase acts of generosity, particularly by supporting the needy, vulnerable members of society, and orphans.
Earlier in her remarks, the Convener of the Ramadan Lecture and CEO of OWUTU FM, Hajia Adejoke Muyibat Balogun, encouraged attendees to use the sacred month as a time for reflection, self-improvement, and community development.
She described the lecture theme as carefully selected to promote spirituality, strengthen faith, and encourage peaceful coexistence within the community.
Balogun expressed appreciation to the numerous guests and supporters who attended the event, noting that their presence reflected the strong bond within the community.
She further reaffirmed OWUTU FM’s commitment to sustaining the annual Ramadan Lecture, praying for Allah’s continued guidance and mercy in the years ahead.
The 2026 edition of the Ramadan Lecture attracted dignitaries and representatives from various organisations including Uzamot Communications, Okutex Fabrics, and the Yeye Asiwaju of Ojota Kingdom.
The event also featured engaging activities such as a quiz competition, where winners were presented with gifts. In the spirit of Ramadan, iftar meals were shared with guests, reinforcing the values of unity, generosity, and compassion that define the holy month.
Through initiatives like this, OWUTU FM continues to play a vital role in promoting faith-based dialogue, community engagement, and social harmony.
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