By Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon
The flag-off of the 37-kilometre Idah–Ibaji Road by the Kogi State Government, under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, is a development that deserves the commendation of the people of Kogi State, particularly those of Idah and Ibaji Local Government Areas.
For communities that have endured years of infrastructural neglect, this project is more than a stretch of asphalt. It offers hope and the prospect of real economic and social change for people who have long awaited meaningful government intervention.
Ibaji’s agricultural potential and strategic value to Kogi’s economy demand infrastructure that can support its growth. A functional road network will ease the movement of farm produce, reduce hardship for commuters, improve access to healthcare and education, stimulate commerce and raise living standards. Governor Ododo has taken a bold step on a long-standing problem, and positive government action should be acknowledged regardless of political affiliation. Being an oil-producing local government, Ibaji definitely deserves this, and more.
However, if the new road is to deliver its full benefits, the state government must urgently consider a related concern.
The Idah–Ajegwu Road: A Vital Link That Cannot Be Ignored
It is hard to celebrate the Idah–Ibaji project without raising alarm over the deplorable state of the Idah–Ajegwu Road. This important connecting route is in such poor condition that it hampers the movement of people, goods and services.
That raises a fundamental question: what impact will the new Idah–Ibaji Road have if the road that feeds it remains in ruins?
Roads should not be approached as isolated projects. A road’s value lies not merely in its construction but in the seamless connectivity it provides, the economic activity it enables and the mobility it improves. A new road falls short of its purpose if commuters must still endure terrible conditions to reach it or to continue to their destinations.
The Idah–Ajegwu Road is therefore not a peripheral issue. It is an essential part of the wider network needed to maximise the Idah–Ibaji investment.
We appeal to the Governor to give urgent attention to the rehabilitation or reconstruction of the 35-kilometre Idah–Ajegwu Road, and to treat both projects as complementary rather than unrelated. The people are not asking for the impossible, only for a coordinated approach in which the gains of one project are not undone by the neglect of another.
Government Is a Continuum: Do Not Abandon the Rural Roads of the Ibrahim Idris Era
Beyond these two roads, the present administration should also preserve and rehabilitate the rural roads built under former Governor Ibrahim Idris.
That administration constructed several roads to link communities, open up rural settlements and move agricultural produce. Examples include the Egume–Ogodu–Ofugo and Ankpa–Ogodo–Acharane–Egane roads. For the communities they serve, these were significant instruments of development.
Over time, however, inadequate maintenance has left some of them in deplorable condition. Farmers, traders, students, health workers and other rural dwellers who depend on them every day bear the cost.
We therefore urge the Ododo administration not to let these roads drop off the state’s development agenda. A succeeding government should not only start new projects but also show the political will to maintain, rehabilitate and improve the infrastructure it inherits.
Public infrastructure belongs to the people, not to the administration that built it. Its upkeep should never depend on the political identity of whoever initiated it. The Ibrahim Idris administration may have left office, but the roads it built remain public assets, to be preserved for present and future generations. Rehabilitating an existing road can be as important as building a new one, and letting valuable infrastructure rot through neglect is an avoidable waste of public resources.
A Comprehensive Rural Road Agenda
These concerns are not meant to diminish the administration’s achievements or the importance of the Idah–Ibaji project. They are constructive suggestions to ensure that government spending yields the greatest benefit to the people.
Governor Ododo has the opportunity to make a lasting difference through a comprehensive approach that prioritises:
- Timely, quality completion of the 37-kilometre Idah–Ibaji Road.
- Urgent rehabilitation or reconstruction of the Idah–Ajegwu Road to guarantee effective connectivity.
- Identification and rehabilitation of rural roads built under the Ibrahim Idris administration that have since deteriorated.
- A sustainable road maintenance programme to prevent new and rehabilitated roads from falling into disrepair.
Together, these steps would improve transportation, strengthen agricultural production, promote rural commerce, lower the cost of doing business and enhance the general welfare of the people.
Conclusion: Let the Ododo Administration Be Remembered for Connecting Communities
The Idah–Ibaji flag-off is a positive statement of intent, and the people deserve to see the project completed to the highest standard. But development must be holistic, because a road network is only as effective as the connections it provides.
Our appeal to Governor Ododo is simple: build new roads, rehabilitate neglected ones and maintain what already exists.
The people of Idah, Ibaji and other rural communities are not impressed by the number of projects flagged off. They want roads that work, that connect their communities, support their businesses and make daily life easier. The true measure of leadership is the lasting impact of projects on people’s lives.
Governor Ododo has taken a commendable step with the Idah–Ibaji Road. Let him go further by addressing the Idah–Ajegwu Road and safeguarding the rural road infrastructure inherited from earlier administrations. The people do not need roads for political celebration alone. They need them for economic survival, social integration and sustainable development. That is a legacy that outlives administrations and earns lasting public gratitude.
Long Live Kogi State.
– Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon writes from Kogi State.
