By Law Ibitoye
The deteriorating condition of the Oye–Ilupeju–Itapa Road in Ekiti State has renewed concerns over the safety of motorists and commuters, with residents calling on the Federal Government, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, and relevant road authorities to urgently undertake comprehensive and permanent rehabilitation of the strategic highway.
The road, particularly its notorious bad spots, has repeatedly caused traffic gridlock, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for hours, damaging vehicles and disrupting the movement of people and goods. Residents fear that continued deterioration could eventually render sections of the route impassable, with serious consequences for adjoining communities and commercial activities.
The urgency of the situation was underscored in August 2026 when more than 400 articulated vehicles, including heavily loaded trailers and fuel tankers, were stranded along the Ifaki–Oye–Ilupeju axis for about a week following the collapse of a section of the federal highway around Oye–Ilupeju-Ekiti. The incident resulted in a massive traffic gridlock, disrupted the transportation of goods and passengers, and left some truck drivers trapped for days.
However, the same troubled section has deteriorated again despite previous interventions by the Chairman of Ifeloju Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ilupeju-Ekiti, Hon. Olusola Michael Oniyelu; Senator Cyril Fasuyi, Hon. Akintunde Rotimi, to ease the congestion and restore movement during the earlier crisis.
The Federal Government also deployed emergency intervention measures following a visit to the troubled route by the Minister of State for Works in August. Although the palliative work helped to ease the gridlock at the time, the recurrence of the problem has raised questions about the durability of the intervention and reinforced calls for a lasting solution.
Consequently, residents, transport operators and other road users are appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Oyebanji, the Federal Ministry of Works, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and other relevant authorities to prioritise the road’s comprehensive rehabilitation before further deterioration triggers another major traffic crisis.
They warn that continued disruption along the corridor could undermine commercial transportation, delay the movement of agricultural produce and other essential goods, increase transportation costs and impose additional economic hardship on residents and businesses.
The road is a strategic transportation link connecting communities in Ekiti State and facilitating the movement of people and goods towards other parts of the country, including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Its deteriorating condition, residents say, extend beyond a local infrastructure challenge to a broader concern for transportation, commerce and regional economic activities. As the dry season approaches, residents are urging the authorities to move beyond temporary repairs and emergency palliatives to a permanent engineering solution that will address the underlying causes of the recurring road failure.
They maintain that comprehensive rehabilitation, backed by effective drainage systems and proper road construction standards, is necessary to prevent repeated damage, protect lives and property, and ensure uninterrupted movement along the strategic corridor.