Residents groan over 102-yr-old abandoned Ojutu bridge

ILOBU—-One hundred and two years old Ojutu bridge is an ancient bridge in Ilobu, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun state with remarkable history. The most interesting history of Ojutu river is that it has been a force against external attack of the town during wars.

The bridge which was constructed in 1912 by the British colonialist, South West Voice gathered has been abandoned, by successive governments at the state and federal levels, leaving untold hardship on the people.
The bridge which links Osogbo, the state capital with Ilobu, is however, on the federal way, but because of its narrowness and rickety condition, it can only accommodate a car at a time.
A lecturer in Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, who is an indigene of Ilobu, Mr. Adewale Azeez, said the river has been a major source of water and a natural barrier against enemy attacks, adding that all efforts to mobilise the community for the construction of the road has been futile as the cost rehabilitating the bridge is beyond the financial muscles of the community.
Financial muscles

*Gridlock on Ojutu bridge…

He said the successive governments in the state have been approached in the past, but they have insisted that the road belongs to the federal government, and so not in their purview to carry-out any rehabilitation work on it.
According to Hon. Lasun Yussuf, who represents Osogbo/Irepodun/Orolu/Olorunda Federal constituency at the House of Representatives, he confirmed that the bridge is indeed ancient and needs urgent attention.
Speaking to South West Voice, during this year’s annual celebration of Ilobu Day, Yussuf lamented the neglect of the bridge by the federal government, saying that it has hindered free access to and out of the town.
Ilobu said: “The poor condition of the bridge is as a result of the years of neglect by successive federal governments. Even as a legislator, if you recommend it to be fixed, nobody will finance it and government will not give attention to it until they are convinced.
“It is a federal road and the attention of the executive arm of government has been drawn to it several times. The Committee on Works has visited the place severally, yet nothing has been done about it.”
On whether he has raised the issue at the House of Representatives, he said “even the present members of the House had sent delegates to visit the bridge but no tangible results have come out of the visit.”
Meanwhile, the National President, Ilobu Development Union, IPU, Alhaji Lekan Yusuff, has urged Governor Rauf Aregbesola to help arrest the problems of road plaguing the community.
Speaking at the 2014 Ilobu Day, the IPU president said: “Your first tenure had positive impact on the lives of the good people of Osun. It is our fervent hope that your second term in office will bring more dividends of democracy to all the people of Osun. You had promised that Osogbo-Ilobu-Oyo State boundary road would be reconstructed and dualised very soon. We believe you. We pray that God will help you to fulfil your promise.”