By Dr. Enikuomehin, Esq.
I am of the STRONG OPINION that the issue of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project should not be the basis of the criticism against the Governor of Ondo State. The Coastal Highway affects the entirety of Ondo State. IT IS THE COASTAL HIGHWAY OF ONDO STATE.
Every citizen of Ondo State, whether he or she comes from Akoko, Owo, Akure, Ondo, Ikale or any part of Ondo State should be involved in the ADVOCACY of ensuring that the road remains COASTAL.
The project is COASTAL IN LAGOS AND OGUN STATES. It cannot be subverted and diverted in the Ondo Section.
It is not a road for INLAND either in Ondo State or any State whatsoever. The argument that the road passes some Ilaje Communities which are not coastal misses the point. It is MEANT FOR THE COASTAL COMMUNITIES and NOT INLAND ILAJE COMMUNITIES. The Coastal communities in Ogun State that are neighbours to that of Ondo State are ILETE, OKEOSHO AND IJEGBE. On the other hand, OLOSUNMETA, IGBOSERE, IGBOLOEUMARE up to ARAROMI SEASIDE are the communities closest to Ogun State on the coastline.
The TRUTH must be told that while IROKUN, AGERIGE, OLOPO, OKE-UPARE are communities in Ilaje, THEY ARE NOT COASTAL COMMUNITIES. The closest of the communities to the Coastline (IROKUN) is 15.9km from the coast.
The majority of Aheri, Mahin and Ugbo communities are by the coast. These communities are the ones to benefit from the LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY PROJECT. It is not just that the community is in Ilaje: the community MUST BE ALONG THE COAST to benefit.
There is no need to bring confusion that once the road passes through any community in Ilaje ( even though the said community is INLAND, ) then it suffices. That argument is MISCHIEVOUS. Once, the community is not along the coastline, the GOAL and VISION of Mr. President in pronouncing LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY is being DEFEATED and FRUSTRATED.
It is therefore important that the coastal communities of Ilaje and ITSHEKIRI must not allow any CONFUSION in respect of this matter. The Coastal Highway Project must be maintained through the coastal communities in Ilaje to the coastal communities of the ITSHEKIRI in Delta.
Anything short of this is a calculated attempt to blur the VISION AND MISSION of the Mr. President. DIVERTING THE ROUTE TO ANOTHER PLACE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.