Ajah in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos.

AJAH-LAGOS – Logjam is back on the Lekki-Ajah
roundabout, four months after the Lagos State government commissioned
the Ajah Jubilee flyover bridge.

The re-engineering of the expansive roundabouts along the Lekki-Epe
expressway corridor coupled with the construction of the flyover bridge
at the Ajah roundabout was hailed as an innovative solution to the
intractable logjam experienced in the area.

Many residents living in the Lekki-Ajah corridors heap praises of
commendation to the governor for the restructuring of the road that has
seen a drastic reduction in congestion on the busy highway.
 
However, in recent weeks, there appears to be a gradual return of the
nearly forgotten old era, where commuters spend hours in traffic at the
roundabout, especially Badore inbound and outbound commuters.

Despite the massive infrastructural renewal, traffic on the
Badore-Ado road has remained a centre of chaos, especially during peak
periods. It takes between two to four hours sometimes to drive through
the less than five kilometres access route from the Ajah roundabout into
Badore, when the god of traffic ‘smiles’ on that area.

This is particularly taking its toll on road users, who are daily
lamenting its effect on their work and business. According to Calistus
Nwankwo, a resident of Badore for 16 years, he has resorted to
abandoning his car during weekdays to lengthen his lifespan.

“The quality of living determines the length of life, but it is not
so for many Lagosians, especially residents of NEPA Road, Olayinka Atiku
Street and Kazeem Oyofo Street in Ajah. We cannot boldly say our
lifestyle, in view of our immediate environment can guarantee length of
life. This is because the horror of commuting in and out of our houses
is killing.”

The residents blame the closure of NEPA Road, a major commercial
road, which is parallel to the Jubilee Bridge, but leads to power
installations, private residential estates, hospitals, Fire Service
Station, and connects the Kazeem Oyifo and Olayinka Atiku streets to
other major investments within the Badore area, as the cause for the
congestion experienced in the area. They say if the road is open to link
the Lekki-Epe expressway, it would serve as a useful alternative to the
burdened roundabout.

A community leader, Francis Okoye, said their lives have become
stressful since the road was blocked immediately the new bridge was
opened.

“Interestingly, NEPA Road served as the only alternative route out of
Ado-Badore Road when the bridge was under construction. With the
situation, several estates have been shutout and forced to make use of
the only access route in and out of Badore, which has led to the
congestion of the roundabout.

“Most worrisome is the potential health, security and safety hazards
in the event of an emergency like medical, fire outbreak or robbery. It
is impossible for a fire truck to enter in the event of fire outbreak,
almost impossible for an ambulance to enter and navigate through the
road and obviously, no means of escape for us if there is a robbery
situation. It only takes the assailants to block the entrance. The
entire residents of the community thus live in perpetual anxiety.”

A business owner, Elijah Adejimi, laments that due to the inactivity
of the road, illegal traders, okada riders and tricycle operators have
taken over, leading to a gradual degradation of the stretch of the road,
which has become a dumpsite and poses serious health risks. “Sadly,
this is what is visible from the top of the Jubilee Bridge. An eyesore,
most unbefitting an infrastructure worth the Jubilee Bridge.”