Urgent need for overhead bridge at Eleko Junction, Ibeju Lekki, Epe Road in Lagos, by Kola Amzat

Suddenly, providence has visited the hitherto sleepy community of Eleko junction, along Lekki-Epe express way with good tidings. The community has become a beehive of business and commercial activities. 

Before now, the quiet community was obscure just like any other, along the Ibeju-Lekki axis, with almost zero business activity.

It’s instructive to submit that most indigenes, as well as the residents across Lagos mega city-Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos Islands, Surulere, Ebute Metta, Agege, Ogba, Badagry, Isolo, Mushin, Yaba, Shomolu, Bariga etc are not even conscious of the existence of this community. 

Dangote Petroleum Refinery, a burgeoning refinery company that came into limelight about one and half years ago and perhaps, Lekki Free Trade Zone, have totally changed all that.

The Refinery particularly, has succeeded in making the Eleko community a cynosure of all eyes, by thrusting it into national and perhaps, global consciousness.     

Except in future, but, presently, the only geographical location to access the Refinery from Lekki-Epe Express way remains Eleko junction.

All trucks loading at the Refinery, access the world class business location through Eleko junction.

Other trucks, loading sand and gravel for infrastructural developments in Dangote Refinery and other developmental initiatives around that axis, making their way to the Refinery, Lekki Free Trade zone and several Residential Estates, construction sites, Companies producing diverse products, numerous residential buildings, highbrow schools and of course, other business initiatives-hospitality, medical centres etc must, as a matter of necessity, pass through Eleko junction.

It’s an understatement that the community has practically changed in status.

24/7, the community is a beehive of business and commercial activities, and with influx of multitude thronging.

There are large concentrations of hotels, supermarkets, private schools, medium scale business initiatives, even large scale industries and conglomerates around the community.

Presently, the community is alive 24/7 like the famous Ojuelegba, Ojota, Ikeja communities.

But, there is a snag!

In recent times, the atmosphere in Eleko junction is always chaotic with traffic jams. Indeed, it has become a recurring decimal. On account of recklessness of most truck drivers, and even, fuel-carrying trucks, there have been fatal accidents resulting in loss of precious lives.

Any time the hell lets loose, the traffic jam springs up from there, and spreads down to Eleganza Industrial City Ltd, Ibeju-Lekki community, and even down to Epe in the East axis.

In the north axis, the hold-up stretches as long as 3 to 6 kms down to Lakowe, Baba Adisa, Onosa, Elesekan etc, sometimes bringing to a complete halt, commercial activities.

The situation is worst on the north axis, the road leading to Dangote Refinery, itself, as well as Lekki Free Trade Zone, as all business activities usually remained totally grounded.

The centrepiece of this Write-up centers on the need for major stakeholders within the community to arise, collaborate and forge alliances to proactively rescue the potentially prosperous community from being a slum. 

Who are the primary stakeholders? Dangote Refinery, Lekki Free Trade Zone, a couple of owners of vast Residential Estates along the Refinery, high-brow schools, both public and private etc, as well as Lagos state government.

Without no atom of doubt, Eleko junctions urgently need an overhead bridge.

The hundreds of petrol tankers navigating their ways through the Refinery across the country on a daily basis to load petroleum products, coupled with unprecedented economic and commercial activities that have sprang up, are the compelling reasons for the urgent construction of the overhead bridge in that particular location.

It’s also important that the bridge is constructed now, to proactively prepare the community for imminent future developments.

On account of the presence of the African richest man in the area with the tremendous business initiatives, as well as Lekki Trade Zone, it’s understatement to affirm that the geographical location would soon implode.   

The heart of the bridge should be at the junction, with the artery spread to the East-Eleganza Industrial City Ltd, Ibeju-Epe road, to the West-Lekewa, Abraham Adesanya and to the North-Eleko inside on the way to Refinery itself.  

The bridge would exclusively be for the hundreds of petrol tankers and other trucks to access the Refinery from Eleko junction, while the huge commercial and economic activities would mainly be under bridge, with other road users especially legion of commercial vehicles, as well as private cars owners compelling to navigate their ways through the community, using the roads under the bridge.

It’s an auspicious time for the stakeholders to move with the speed of light, to collaborate and herald the emergence of a new community, potentially destined for greatness.     

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB)

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.