By Joke Kujenya
THE TRAGIC death of Professor Oladipo Ademuyiwa on the Wole Soyinka-Kemta-Idi-Aba-Somorin Road has sparked controversy, with the Ogun State Government rejecting claims that it failed to prevent the accident.
The government insists that blaming it for the fatal hit-and-run incident is unfair and misleading.
In a statement from Abeokuta, the state capital, the government expressed sympathy for the professor’s family but emphasised that it had already put necessary safety measures in place.
It noted that the same residents who had criticised the poor state of the road before its rehabilitation are now faulting the government despite its improvements.
The released notes that the 7.3-kilometre stretch, one of over 700 kilometres of roads constructed or rehabilitated under Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration, has been equipped with speed breakers and road signs to enhance safety.
The government then reiterated that the late professor was killed by a reckless driver who ignored established traffic rules, not due to any infrastructure failure.
“Just last December, following community requests, the government installed 11 additional speed breakers alongside existing ones on the road. This is in addition to strategically placed road signs guiding motorists and other commuters,” the statement reads.
While offering condolences to the deceased’s family, colleagues, and neighbours, Ogun State government urged stakeholders to intensify road safety awareness among motorists to prevent further tragedies.
Residents of Ajebo Road Housing Estate, Kemta, Abeokuta, had earlier expressed outrage, blaming the state government for not installing sufficient speed control measures on the newly rehabilitated road.
Dr. Ayo Ajasa, Chairman of the Ajebo Road Housing Estate Community Development Association, described the professor’s death as preventable and called for urgent intervention.
He criticised the government for allegedly prioritising the installation of speed breakers on other sections of the road while neglecting their community’s repeated safety concerns.
Ajasa also stressed that another accident occurred within 24 hours of the professor’s death, reinforcing the need for stricter traffic enforcement.
In response, the government maintained that it has done its part in ensuring road safety and called on all road users to adhere strictly to traffic regulations.
