Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has made a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally visit the deplorable Ado-ABUAD-Ijan-Ikole federal road in Ekiti State, saying only a firsthand inspection will reveal the hardship being endured daily by thousands of Nigerians.
Babalola’s appeal came amid renewed concerns over the worsening condition of the major highway, which links several communities and provides access to critical institutions, including ABUAD, its 400-bed multi-system hospital, the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, the National Open University of Nigeria campus, a Federal Government-owned silo and the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport.
In an open letter made available to the media on Wednesday, the nonagenarian commended former presidential aide and Senator, Babafemi Ojudu, for drawing the Federal Government’s attention to the deteriorating road and demanding urgent intervention.
The Federal Executive Council had, a few weeks ago, announced the award of the road to a new contractor, with the project expected to be financed through the Renewed Hope Initiative.
However, Babalola said the repeated promises and interventions had not translated into a lasting solution, lamenting that the road had remained a nightmare for motorists and other users despite years of appeals to successive administrations.
‘Ekiti Is Landlocked, Motorway-Locked’
The legal luminary said Ekiti State had suffered significant developmental disadvantages because of its poor transportation infrastructure.
He described the state as “landlocked, motorway-locked, railway-locked, industry-locked, power-locked and airport-locked,” stressing that the poor condition of its roads continued to hinder economic growth and access to essential services.
Babalola, however, commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his efforts to attract development and goodwill to the state, particularly the commencement of commercial flight operations at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport in December 2025.
He disclosed that he contributed $1.6 million towards navigational aids and control tower equipment for the airport and also spent N356,795,039.18 to construct a 100-car-capacity park opposite the airport terminal.
Road Built Over 100 Years Ago Still Neglected
Babalola said the Ado-Ijan-Ilumoba-Ikole road was originally constructed by the colonial authorities more than 100 years ago and had remained substantially unchanged in its winding and inadequate alignment.
According to him, the road once served as an important link between Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ilesa, Ado-Ekiti, Ikare and Lokoja.
But years of neglect, he said, had transformed the once-important route into an almost impassable highway.
“This all-important road has been neglected for several years, a development which has rendered it impassable. This compelled me to make several representations to the Federal Government and its agencies to fix the road. But it would appear that all my representations were ignored,” he said.
The ABUAD founder revealed that the university spent billions of naira between 2010 and 2019 repairing and maintaining sections of the road and the old Ureje Bridge as part of its corporate social responsibility.
He alleged that after the Federal Government awarded rehabilitation work to a local contractor, the contractor failed to resolve the problem and eventually abandoned the project, allegedly leaving the road in a worse condition.
Babalola said another contractor was awarded the project about two years ago, but the condition of the highway had again deteriorated.
Bad Road Now Affecting ABUAD Activities
The road’s condition, Babalola said, has moved beyond inconvenience and is now affecting the operations of institutions located along the route.
He disclosed that some ABUAD lecturers living outside the university campus could no longer drive their vehicles to work because of the terrible state of the highway.
This, he said, had resulted in lateness and disruptions to academic activities.
He stressed that the strategic importance of the road could not be overemphasised, considering the institutions and facilities that depend on it.
‘Is This the Image Nigeria Wants to Show the World?’
Babalola said the need for urgent rehabilitation had become even more pressing ahead of an international event scheduled for October 21, 2026.
He disclosed that Trinity Western University, Canada, and Trinity International University, USA, are expected to confer honorary Doctor of Laws degrees on him during the event.
He questioned whether the deplorable condition of the road represented the image Nigeria wanted to present to international visitors.
ABUAD, he noted, has students from all 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory and several foreign countries.
The university, he added, has also continued to attract international recognition, having been ranked Nigeria’s number one university in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings for five consecutive years from 2022 to 2026, as well as second in Africa and 72nd globally.
Babalola: I Wrote Fashola, No Response
The elder statesman recalled that he had written several letters to successive Presidents, Ministers of Works and Housing, Ministers of Transport, FERMA officials and Ekiti State governors over the condition of roads in the state.
He specifically recalled writing to former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on January 24, 2022, seeking permission for ABUAD to deploy the expertise and resources of its College of Engineering to repair the road and construct a new bridge, with the Federal Government reimbursing the cost.
According to him, the proposal received neither acknowledgement nor response.
‘Tinubu Has Not Been Given the True Picture’
Babalola backed Ojudu’s call for Works Minister David Umahi to personally inspect the highway during his planned inspection of federal roads in Ekiti State.
He went further, asking President Tinubu to personally visit the road.
“In support of Senator Ojudu’s well-appreciated position, may I humbly appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to personally visit the road because it would appear that he has not been given the true picture of the deplorable and impassable nature of the road,” Babalola said.
He also called on Ekiti indigenes, particularly professors, professionals and opinion leaders, to join the campaign for the reconstruction of federal roads across the state.
“I equally call on all the people of Ekiti State, particularly our numerous professors and opinion leaders, to join Senator Ojudu and my humble self in this crusade to make Ekiti roads motorable. It can be done, and it should be done,” he said.
Babalola maintained that Ekiti’s development could be accelerated if the Federal Government gave urgent attention to the state’s road infrastructure.
For the ABUAD founder, the time for promises is over.
“Something must be done about this road, and the time is now.”
By Sunday Abimbola [Ekiti State Correspondent]
