Residents of Molete in Ibadan South East Local Council of Oyo State have lamented the deplorable state of their road, which connects Eyin Grammar Road to Adeyemo Layout, Ibadan. The one kilometre road, which links many streets in the neighbourhood is home to about 5,000 people. However, it has become hellish for residents to navigate because of its poor state.When The Guardian visited the road last year, the drainage and culvet were blocked, while the road has remained bumpy with hilly paths and craters. Residents said its state has gone from bad to worse, without solution in sight. Many residents and motorcycle riders in the community told The Guardian that the road was rehabilitated during the administration of former Governor Adebayo Alao -Akala. According to them, despite the road being the main link to the community, which hosts many monuments like Bishop B. F. Owa’s Mega Church-Adeyemo, Ibadan, the late Olubadan, Adeyemo Operinde 1 Heritage House, AMORC Monument and Building, the headquarters, Deeper Life Bible Church, Ayobami Group of Schools and others, the long years of neglect still persists.They explained that it gave way few years after it was commissioned due to low quality work and lack of proper drainage system. The residents and motorcycle riders said the late Abiola Ajimobi government never did anything on it, adding that Governor Seyi Makinde has promised to rehabilitate the road, but they are still waiting to see changes. A technician at the edge of the road, Mr. Rasheed Akinola, who has been working in the area for upwards of seven years, said anytime it rained people in the community would be cut off as a result of flood. He added that all promises made to repair the road have turned out to be false while hope of giving it a facelift has been dashed. Another road user and tricyclist, Samuel Sunday said robbers now have a field day along the road coupled with many man-hours wasted daily, in addition to wear and tear of their tricycles.Sunday added that passengers do not want to pass through the road any more. While decrying the hard times on the road, Sunday said the inhabitants of the community have been cut off. He appealed to the government to rescue the community from the jaws of robbers. Sunday Ukpi, a driver who plies the road, said: “It is a terrible experience. If there is another alternative, I will not pass here again. It affects my vehicle. It takes extra fuel to move here. We navigate with force. It is better to trek than drive along the road. Even with trekking, you need to be careful. The suffering is too much. Government should come to our rescue by fixing the road.” Another resident of the community, Engr. Olabode Ashamu said the road is not safe as robbery incidents have become the order of the day. Ashamu said: “About three or four years ago, government promised to rehabilitate the road. About three months ago, they came to take the measurement. Till now, we have not seen any effort again. “The road is not safe. Robbery is rampant while accidents happen often. The government needs to save us from robbery and provide safety. The road is prone to robbery, waste of time. We appeal to the government to do it now so that we can have rest of mind.” A trader in the community, Mrs. Temitope Ashamu, said: “I have been here for the past eight years and to the best of my knowledge the road has been in this dilapidated condition since that time. I cannot drive around the place because it will damage my car.The immediate past chairman of the landlords’ association of the community, Rev. Femi Popoola, who has been living there for about 20 years, lamented that the road has remained the same despite promises and efforts made by the inhabitants. He disclosed that residents contribute a certain sum of money for the project but due to economic hardship in the country very few residents have been able to redeem their financial obligation.On the information that government officials came to measure the road, Rev. Popoola said: “That is the way they have been coming every now and then. Their coming is not new to us”. The landlords’ chairman claimed that it seemed like the government had forgotten the community. Also, the current Chairman of the association, Rev. Babajide Aina, said the road has become a den of men of the underworld. Aina told The Guardian that about 12 motorcycles had suffered robbery attacks on the road. He attributed the robbery incidents to the deplorable state of the road.Reacting, Chairman of Ibadan South East Local Council Ibadan, Hon. Emmanuel Alawode, said approval had been given for the repair of the road but the council was only waiting for disbursement. “An approval has been given for the rehabilitation of the road. We are just waiting for mobilisation. We have got the approval only waiting for disbursement,” Alawode said.