By - The Ilesa-Ijaregbe road, a shorter route linking Ilesa to Ijebu-Jesa, collapsed completely on Monday after heavy flooding washed out a culvert
- Residents of Ijaregbe, Alatise and nearby communities now face a longer, costlier detour through Ijebu-Jesa just to reach work, school and markets in Ilesa
- Locals warn the exposed crater and standing water could become deadly if rain returns before repairs begin, and are appealing directly to Governor Adeleke and area lawmakers
A flood on Monday tore apart a road that residents of Ijaregbe, Alatise and surrounding communities in Obokun Local Government Area had relied on for years, cutting off one of the shortest routes between Ilesa and Ijebu-Jesa and leaving a gaping, water-filled crater where the road used to be.
Images and footage obtained by OsunDefender show the culvert at the centre of the collapse completely broken, with muddy water pooling across what remains of the roadbed. Neither cars nor motorcycles can get through, according to residents, a situation that has effectively frozen movement in and out of the affected communities.
A Route Built Under a Previous Administration, Now Gone
The road had carried real weight for the area’s daily life. A resident identified only as Boladale said the route was originally built under former Governor Rauf Aregbesola and had long served as the easier way for locals to reach Ilesa, where many in the community work, trade and send their children to school. With that option gone, residents now have to detour through Ijebu-Jesa instead, a longer trip that Boladale said comes with double the transport cost.
He appealed directly to the state government to intervene before the affected communities find themselves completely cut off from Ilesa altogether.
Growing Fear Over What Happens If It Rains Again
Beyond the inconvenience, some residents see a more immediate danger in the broken culvert and the standing floodwater it has left behind. Mrs Funke Adepoju said the damage poses a real risk to life if repairs don’t happen quickly, warning that another heavy rainfall could turn the site fatal rather than just inconvenient.
Adepoju directed her appeal beyond the governor alone, naming the senator representing Osun East, the House of Representatives member for Ijesa North/South, and the area’s House of Assembly members as officials she wants to see act on the situation without delay.
As of Monday, no government response addressing repairs to the road had been reported.
