RIDSCo In Partnership With Lafarge Cement Plc, Commission Community Standard Culvert Project In Sagamu

The Royal Initiative For The Development Of Sagamu Community (RidSco) formerly known as Sagamu Community Development Committee (SCDC) was established in February 1998 by the Late Akarigbo & Paramount Ruler of Remoland, His Royal Majesty, Alaiyeluwa Oba Dr Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, FCA, CON, KJW, Erinjugbo II, to harness the support of the then West African Portland Cement Company (WAPCO) for sustainable development projects for Sagamu Local Government area.

RIDSCo on Thursday, 02/09/2021, as part of its efforts at improving livelihoods and making movements an ease way of life for the people of High Court road axis, commissioned a standard Culvert on Apele stream for the community in Sagamu. The Culvert was constructed with 20mm and 16mm iron rods and 5 pans of sand to a bag of cement.

The Organization of RIDSCo in partnership with Larfage Africa Plc, had today commissioned the Apele Stream standard Culvert.

“It gives me great honour to welcome you to this historic occasion of the commissioning of this Culvert on High Court road, Apele, Sagamu, Olotu Omooba Oyedele said”.

He mentioned, that this event is historic because of the importance of the Culvert which is the only easy access route to the communities within this axis and most importantly the Sagamu international Market.

“The road on which this Culvert is constructed was the old Sagamu-Abeokuta road which leads to several communities and villages. When the Sagamu-Benin expressway was constructed by the Federal Government, the route was abandoned. However, as a result of the creation of three public secondary schools, Sagamu High School, Makun High School and Agbele Community High School by the Ogun State Government during the administration of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo in 1980, life came back to this route, the students were having It difficult to pass through the old culvert”.

The administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel in Ogun State in order to open up this axis of the Community, established the Sagamu International Market along and reconstructed the road to serve as alternative route to the expressway mentioned above. Due to pressures occasioned by the emergent of the redevelopment of old towns and communities such as iwera, Ewuga, Apele, Agbele, Igbepa, Iwelepe etc, the road did not only became impassable but the old ring culvert sunk!

The coming of the Processed Wood Producers Association of Nigeria (PROWPAN) to the area also added to the pressures on the road, many heavy duty trucks carrying tonnes of log of woods plying the route became another problem for the already weak road and culvert. Whenever there is heavy traffic on Sagamu-Benin Expressway, the High Court road becomes the alternative route to our brothers going to Ijebu Land, Ondo, South-South and the Eastern part of the country.

“Olotu Oyedele said, he have gone this length to show the importance of this culvert to the community and people from other areas”.

When we received the request for the construction of this culvert from Yeye Olasumbo Bamidele Nelly, the lyaloja of Sagamu International Market, jointly endorsed by HRH Alayeluwa Oba Timothy Akinsanya, Ewusi of Makun and Asiwaju  S.K Onafowokan, we found ourselves in a quagmire on how to create alternative route as the road would be permanently closed for some months Interestingly, one could imagine the support we received from the people who have been longing and praying for God’s intervention on the road. They mobilized themselves to give the contractor support to dismantle the sunk ring culvert. At this juncture, i want to express our appreciation for their support, cooperation and understanding given to us to construct the culvert. 

The Iyaloja of Sagamu International Market, Yeye Olasumbo Bamidele Nelly, also lauded the Royal Initiative Development for Sagamu Community (RIDSCo) and Larfage Cement Plc, for the success and commissioning of the infrastructural project capable of enhancing the socio-economic development of the community.

High Chief Gbenro Oduwaiye, the Lisa Makun who specifically commended the RIDSCo Chairman, Olootu Omoba M.O Oyedele for his administration’s efforts to give the community a befitting standard Culvert, equally praised Larfage for not abandoning meaningful projects embarked upon but completed by such a progressive Organization, RIDSCo.

“I and my colleagues were the most beneficiaries of this laudable project, we plies through this road everyday to do business and two-thirds of people working with me reside in this area. On this note, I so much appreciate those brains behind the success of this project”, Chief Adetola Samson Dosunmu, Maiyegun Said.

The Personal Assistant to HRH Oba Timothy Akinsanya, Ewusi of Makun, Otunba Kayode Howells, also extend Kabiesi’s greetings to congratulate the beneficiary communities and commend RIDSCo and Lafarge for deeming it fit to construct the standard culvert that links many communities together in that axis.

“Olootu Omoba M.O Oyedele assured the people of the community that their commonwealth is in safe hands, adding that the Organization would not take their goodwill for granted, so far the supports needed by them is within the power of RIDSCo”.

He also said, “As part of our responsibilities, we are happy to continue doing what we are best known for by being transparent enough so that residents of Sagamu in particular will know that their commonwealth is in safe hands”.

“We are not misusing the trust and as a Royal Initiative Development body, we are out to make sure that whatever that is desirable and good for the people of Sagamu, with all our efforts to partner with Public Private companies, shall get to them.

“We are confident that this laudable Infrastructural project will go a long way towards improving the lives of the people within Apele, Agbele, Igbepa, Simawa and Iwelepe communities”.

“On a last note, I have to state this here that what we have ts not just an ordinary Culvert, it is a 3 Box Culvert constructed with 20mm and 16mm iron rod and a composure/mixture of 5 pans of sand to a bag of cement. I want to assure you that the Culvert is going to last for several years. I want to appeal to Governments be it at the State or Local level to prioritize reconstruction of this all important road for the commuters to enjoy the newly constructed 3 Box-Culvert”.

Dignitaries and stakeholders as well as representatitives of the project beneficiary communities were at the inauguration.

To mention but few from the host Communities who graced the occasion are the Onigbepa of Igbepa, HRH Oba S.O Dawodu, High Chief Gbenro Oduwaiye (Lisa Makun), Baale Apele and Chief Adetola Samson Dosunmu popularly known as Maiyegun, Yeye Olasumbo Bamidele Nelly, Iyaloja Sagamu International Market. Also, Chiefs, community leaders and others were in attendance.

Members of RIDSCo in attendance at the commissioning program are the Chairman of RIDSCo, Olootu Omoba M.O Oyedele, the Secretary Mrs A.O.A Adesanya, Asst Secretary, Engr. Adebayo Osiberu, OLU Fola Akodu, Chief Bldr. E. Olu Sokoya, Hon. Adeyiga T. Awoyemi (SDA President), Comrade Adekunle Bello (SDA Secretary), Mr Lukman Banjoko (Admin Manager).

Also in attendance from the Project Monitoring and Implementation Committee are Omoba Segun Onabolu, Olotu Taju Saka, Asojuoba Michael Adesanya.

Representatives of Larfage Cement Plc are Engr. Edward Alabi (Maintenance Manager), Ezekiel Obasanya (HRBP), Mr Adeolu Lamidi (CSO), Engr. Sunday Ajayi, The Community Relations Manager (West), Engr. Yomi Owolabi.