By Akinnodi Francis, Ondo

Residents of Ondo city in Ondo West Local Government area of Ondo State have bemoaned the deplorable state of the Okeodunwa Bridge, which connects the Odojomu and Oka communities in Ondo.

In separate interviews with The Hope, they expressed concern over the perceived abandonment of the bridge.

“The bridge collapsed more than three years ago due to persistent flooding and has since become a death trap.

“We are worried that what happened last year will repeat itself on this bridge. Several months after the flooding—which affected many homes, destroyed property, and caused loss of lives—nothing has been done,” the residents lamented.

A resident, Ajayi Peter, emphasisd the need for urgent intervention from both the state and local governments to fix the bridge.

“This is the bridge that connects Odojomu and Oka communities in Ondo city. It needs urgent attention. People living in these communities, as well as passersby and commuters, are in constant fear, especially during the rainy season.

“In fact, this bridge becomes a death trap every rainy season. The floodwaters flowing through the bridge have sent many souls to their early graves and destroyed property worth millions of naira over the years.

“We want to call on the federal government through the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), the Ondo State government, the local government chairman, Hon. Ayotunde Akinfolarin, the senator representing the Central Senatorial District, the House of Representatives member, and the House of Assembly member, as well as the Ondo Development Committee (ODC), to urgently help reconstruct the bridge before the rains fully set in.

“To be sincere, many politicians have visited the site to inspect the bridge. They took photos, drew maps, and made empty promises. Up till now, nothing has been done. Though the government came last year to channel and expand the route, that hasn’t solved the problem.

“The best solution is to demolish the old bridge and construct a new, elevated one to allow for proper water flow. For instance, we had a similar issue with the Lisaluwa Bridge before it was reconstructed into a higher bridge,” he said.

Another resident, Hon. Clement Oluwamodimu, said: “We are using this medium to draw the state government’s urgent attention to the deplorable condition of the bridge connecting Oke-Odunwa with Oke-Idera in Ondo City. The bridge has become a death trap for our people. It has claimed several lives in recent years due to its precarious state, and we do not want these avoidable and needless losses to continue.

“The bridge is now at breaking point; it is deteriorating daily. That is why we are appealing to Mr. Governor to take swift and decisive action to repair the bridge without delay. Every passing day puts more lives at risk.

“This bridge serves as a vital link between Ode-Ondo and Oka. Its collapse would make it nearly impossible for residents of the community to access essential government facilities such as markets, schools, courts, hospitals, and others.”

The Hope reported that the Okeodunwa bridge is an ancient structure built over 10 decades ago. It is, in fact, a low bridge.