Lagos-Abeokuta Road: How Do Lagosians Cope On This Road?

How do these people cope with this road? This is the question that ran through my mind as I sat in traffic for almost 4hours.

The Lagos – Abeokuta expressway can best be termed the 3rd mainland bridge for this axis. The road has been in a mess for quite some time due to lack of maintenance and adequate routine on the road. The road shares a border with the Muritala Mohammed Airport Road. The road has a border with Ogun state as this same road leads to Ota, Abeokutauta and lots more.

In 2016, the Lagos State Government decided to embark on a total reconstruction of this road with an addition of BRT lane on both sides to make it world class but ever since work has started on this road, passengers have groaned under intense pain and agony.

For example, Sango to Oshodi used to 100-150 naira now has skyrocketed to 300-400 naira, it is worse when it rains as you can board the bus for 500-700 naira most times.

AutoReportNG was in Alagbado, AIT Road on Tuesday and we witnessed the first-hand suffering of what people around this road go through every day. To beat the traffic, if you are going towards Kola, Sango, etc, it is advised you home at least 5.30am so that you can join the coaster bus going to Sango as they charge 150 naira for such, and you are guaranteed of a 30-40mins trip without much traffic.

Coming back to Oshodi is hell as you can spend 4hrs on this road as those construction workers closed the road and also damage the road they know they won’t do in the next 2-3 months. Mangoro, Cement, Iyana Ipaja are mostly locked down when it is 10am and beyond.

As I sat down in the bus, and I scanned through the faces of the passengers, all I see is anger, sorrow, and pain, it was so bad that they blamed the driver and conductor for any slight mistake, well you can’t blame them as a trip of 40 mins has turned 4 hours.