Badagry Residents Lament Deplorable State Of Mowo-Koga-Ado Odo Road

For many residents and business owners living in Badagry and its environs that have been plying the Mowo to Koga Zebbe to Ado Odo Road, it has been hellish in the past few months with no solution in sight. They maintained that the deplorable state of the road has been inflicting pain on them and damaging their businesses.

The road is a vital route linking communities in Lagos State to neighbouring Ogun State through Ado Odo. They stated that the road which was once a bustling transport corridor during the era of Molue and Bolekaja buses, the road has now deteriorated into what many residents describe as a daily nightmare. With deep potholes, eroded sections and muddy stretches, the road has made movement difficult for motorists, pedestrians and traders who rely on the route for economic activities. A member of the community said several self-helps through sanding and pouring of stones had not helped much.

Commenting, Stephen Aperoja said he traveled through the road last Saturday to attending a church meeting at Ado-Odo. “I could not get myself well when I returned home. Government should please find a solution to this road.”

Also, Bello Garuba stated that this is the worst road in Badagry. “Huge pot holes everywhere. I drove to Ikoga market last week and blamed myself for driving down instead of just taking a bike. I wonder why Sesi Whunyingan is not doing anything about it because it also leads to his family house.”

What disheartens residents is the fact that a member of the Federal House of Representatives in Badagry area, Bamgbose Olusola Oluwatoyin is from Ikoga Zebbe Kingdom and this particular road is part of his campaign promises. “As we speak, he rarely comes home and also took his father away from the community. If he fails his community in this regard, I wonder who else will, even if it means spurring concerned authority to come to our aid.”

On his part, a social advocate, Manoah Kikekon, noted that the Mowo–Ikoga–Ado Odo road is historically a significant artery connecting Lagos and Ogun states, which has deteriorated into a state of near-total collapse.

“Once the primary gateway for commerce in the Badagry division and the route used by Lagos State’s first Military Governor, the road is now described by residents as a “death trap.” This decay has stifled the agricultural output of the region, displaced residents, and severed vital interstate economic links.

“This route predates the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. It served as the lifeblood for traders from Ebute-Ero and Idumota to access the hinterlands. The “Tedo Market” is recognized as the foremost major market in the Badagry division, the Ikoga-Zebbe market relies entirely on this road. The road serves as a strategic link between Lagos and Ado-Odo in Ogun State, facilitating the movement of over a million people across various communities including Pota, Iragon, Ilogbo-Eremi, and Tohon.

“The road has transited from ‘dilapidated’ to ‘hazardous.’ The following issues have reached a crisis point: Frequent vehicular accidents are recorded due to deep craters and failed sections of the asphalt. During the rainy season, specific segments become entirely impassable for vehicles. Residents are forced to wade through floodwaters on foot, effectively cutting off the communities from the rest of the state.”

Kikekon stated that during peak flooding, the Ikoga market, the largest farmers’ market in Badagry is forced to shut down, halting all economic activity. “As a primary farming hub, the region’s economy depends on moving produce to market. Farmers are reporting losses every five days as vehicles carrying perishable goods get stuck or overturned. The difficulty of transport has led many farmers to scale back production or abandon farming altogether.

“The lack of basic accessibility has triggered a migration trend. Residents who can afford to leave are relocating to areas with better infrastructure, leading to a ‘brain drain’ and a drop in local property values and development. Commercial transporters have hiked fares to compensate for the extreme wear and tear on their vehicles, making the search for a livelihood increasingly unbearable for the average commuter.

“The construction of the Mowo–Ikoga–Ado Odo road is no longer just a ‘public works’ project; it is a humanitarian and economic necessity. Fixing this road would serve as a landmark achievement for the Governor Sanwo-Olu administration, directly impacting over a million homes and restoring the ‘dividend of democracy’ to a neglected corridor. Meanwhile, some unverified sources said the road was captured in the 2025 Lagos State budget but to date, no sign of construction.”

He maintained that the Ikoga-Zebbe Road is a sleeping economic giant. “By restoring this link, the Lagos State government can revitalise the Badagry agricultural sector, improve inter-state security, and provide much needed relief to its resilient citizens.”