Filled with shadows of its past, an almost empty town with shambles, derelict, devastated yet alive, an ancient town with almost no government impact or significance, these best describe the situation of Igbonla eju community, an ancient town, few kilometers from Ajasse-ipo. A visit to this community in Irepodun Local Government will have you wondering whether it is indeed good here in Kwara State. With the huge hopes and promises of the Otoge mantra, you will be shocked to find a fat level of government neglect in Igbonla eju.
The community, with its population predominantly farmers, is a shadow of what it used to be. Serving as a gateway to strategic locations such as Esie, Oro, Agbamu, Ajase-ipo, Offa and even Ila-Oragun (in Osun State), Igbonla community can boast of two education institutions which have been operating partially due to efforts and contributions from indigenes; borehole water donated by NGOs and an extremely bad road at the verge of notorious ruins.
One wonders, isn’t this the same Igbonla town that was in the news for approval of its road network? Why is the Community still struggling with bad road? Why should people lose their lives while using these roads? Why should the Community hospital be with no single health worker? Why should the secondary and primary school be financed by community contributions in a democratic setting.
Hon. Ajuloopin of House of Representative, Sen. Lola Ashiru of the Senate, Kayode Alabi and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq all travelled to this community during elections to seek for votes. They promised heaven and earth, but today, none of the problems of the community mean anything to them. Is Lai Mohammed not Nigeria’s Minister of information, Culture and Tourism? Esie museum is just less than 5 kilometers from Igbonla town yet the road to this historical museum from igbonla is a mess! Ajase-ipo is 15 minutes drive from Igbonla, yet the whole of Ajase-Ipo can’t boost of a single asphalt road.
What has Igbonla done wrong to deserve this level of neglect?
Have they committed any crime that made the government refuse to listen to their cries, to the extent that they had to provide electricity, schools and do almost everything by themselves?
Am I missing something here?
I am scared, government of the day is only interested in photo shots and ops just to be seen as good. I am scared Igbonla and so many other communities are at the verge of ruins due to government’s neglect.
How do you expect people to live in this dungeon? How else can the community get the attention of Governor Razaq despite sending several letters, videos and pleas in the recent past? Why should the young and old die when there’s a health facility waiting for doctors and health practitioners to save lives?
I am starting to believe that the underdevelopment of communities in important regions is deliberate for selfish politicization.
Why would a community as strategic and important as Igbonla have an access road as poor as the road to hell? How do we explain the extremely empty community health centre? What do we say about the weak school structures?
Enough of the talks, and take the bull by the horn. To prevent your people from further sufferings, you must work hard, strive hard and be interested in community development. You can’t sit in Lagos, Kano, US and other big cities supporting political candidates and parties (who end up betraying your trust) with no interest in your community’s development. You have to join politics! You have to lobby for your community! You have support your people! You have to come back home and see what’s happening! You must galvanize efforts and make things work for your community.
Igbonla’s situation is making me weep! God, Please send down your angels! Yahya Igbonla lived for his people, today he’s long gone and Igbonla is in dereliction.
Anike writes from Igbonla community. She can be reached via abashnike@gmail.com