Date: 2020-11-03

On Friday, May 29,2020 during the euphoria of the one year celebration of the administration of His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, I had the cause to draw the attention of the Executive Governor of Kwara State to the deplorable state of the portions of the road around Oke-Fomo Bridge in the Pakata area of Ilorin.

I and many others including different Community Development Associations, who are concerned and affected by the hitherto discomforting state of the road did that, many a time, without receiving acknowledgment or reasonable response. It was,therefore, a pleasure when I received a very friendly reaction from the resourceful Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye,as regard my request on the need for fixing that specific road. The CPS not only thanked me for raising the issue but also gave a convincing assurance that the portions complained about will be done as soon as this year's rain stopped.

While the raining season appears to have ceased ,I am elated to report that the repair has also began in earnest. Though not yet completed, motorists and pedestrians plying the road are now at ease driving and walking through the bridge as the preparatory leveling has been done. As we are awaiting asphalt laying, residents of Oke-Fomo and neighbouring communities are no longer scared of going out for one business or the other in their vehicles as they now receive relations and friends who are no longer afraid of visiting them in their residences.

I am not a politician but I am affected by the actions or inactions of those who are elected into various political offices. Where they do wrong it is the constitutional right of citizens,one of whom I am, to draw their attention to such. And should they do they do the needful one would not be wrong to offer them salutations accordingly.

Discerning compatriots should, therefore, permit me to express my profound appreciation and those of the people of over 27 sprawling communities who use the road to the Governor and his administration for responding to the request. The fixing of the facility will surely reduce the pains of motorists, the number of times vehicle users visit mechanic workshops to fix the wears and tears on their vehicles and the needless morning and evening heavy traffic occasioned by the hitherto damaged portions of the road.

Let me, on behalf of the people plying that road and as an Oliver Twist, express the hope that all pot-holes on the road from the popular Ita-Uma Junction up to and beyond the Atere Campus(Faculty of Law) of the Al-Hikmah University,Ilorin, in the same axis and indeed across Ilorin will be fixed for the love of our people.

Imam is Secretary, "Pakata Patriots",Ilorin,and National Publicity Secretary, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.