RESIDENTS of Onipon Estate, a developing area along Podo Village on the outskirts of Ibadan, Oyo State, have decried the poor standard of living in the area.A recent visit by Community News to the area, revealed a poor road network and lack of civilisation in the area.According to the leader of the estate, Alhaji Moliki Atanda, 'I have been living in this community for the past 30 years. Yet, this place has not been given any attention. The three neighbouring communities which consist of Arapaja, Abba-beji and Kasumu, have been enjoying electricity supply and rapid development, but our community which is at the centre of the three communities, has been neglected.'There is no motorable or accessible roads, the available ones are untarred, and in a deplorable state.'There is a bridge around this community that also needs an urgent attention because during the devastating flood that took place in August, this area was badly affected as the water over flowed but no life was lost.'There is a culvert under the bridge preventing free flow of water, the culvent should be broken to allow free flow of water,' he said.According to Mr Muritala Oke, the Secretary of the community Landlords and Landladies Association, 'the road in this area needs to be reconstructed because it links many areas. It links Ijebu-Ode, Ababeji, Kasumu and Arapaja communities. This road will distribute traffic at the New Garage and at the Iwo Road Expressway if it is reconstructed. If you are going to Ijebu-Ode or Abeokuta, you don't need to go to New Garage. You can even see that population is getting bigger in Ibadan and therefore, the need for urgent traffic distribution. Also, there is no electricity supply, no electric poles, no security, pipe borne water, etc. putting on generator in this kind of environment from morning till night is even a security problem because of the deafening noise it produces when every house put on their generator. When armed robbers attack and we cry thief! thief!, nobody will hear due to the noise. Also, cost of buying fuel everyday is very expensive. We, therefore, plead with the appropriate authorities to look into the numerous problem we are facing so that we should not be abandoned and denied the opportunity to enjoy democratic dividends.According to Mrs Toyin, a landlady in the area, 'the major problem we are facing here is that we don't have drainage.' that the free flow of water under the bridge. Efforts must be made to break that culvent so that the River will not over flow and drown us, because this is the only bridge that connect the neighbouring communities.There is no civilization in this area, we need transformers and motorable roads. Some accessible roads in this area have been overgrown with weeds and thick bushes due to abundonment.We plead with the Oluyole Council Chairman, Prince Abass Elshinloye to please pay attention to this community since it is near his office.
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