Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in what he described as the deplorable Ado-Ijan-Ilumoba-Ikole Road.
Babalola said the condition of the road has continued to cause severe hardship for motorists and commuters.
He noted that the situation is hindering access to the university and other critical institutions along the corridor.
The legal icon made the appeal in an open letter dated August 26.
He expressed appreciation to Senator Babafemi Ojudu for consistently drawing the Federal Government’s attention to the poor condition of the road.
Babalola urged President Tinubu to personally visit the road to see firsthand the hardship faced by students, lecturers, parents, patients, workers and other users of the highway.
He said the road has become particularly important because it serves several strategic institutions.
These include Afe Babalola University, the Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti, the Ado-Ekiti campus of the National Open University of Nigeria, a Federal Government owned silo, the ABUAD Multi-System Hospital and the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport.
He said, “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.”
He described the continued neglect of the road as unacceptable, given the contributions of the institutions and facilities it serves to Ekiti State and Nigeria.
Babalola said the road was constructed more than 100 years ago during the colonial era.
It originally served as a major link connecting Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ilesa, Ado-Ekiti, Ikare and Lokoja.
He said, “Between Ilesa-Ado-Ekiti-Ikare in particular, the road has remained long and winding because it was constructed with hoes and cutlasses, which made it a mere expansion of footpaths. And so, up till now, nobody cares about the road.”
He recalled that on January 24, 2022, he wrote to the then Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, seeking approval for the university to deploy its College of Engineering resources to repair the road and construct a new bridge, with the Federal Government reimbursing the cost.
He said, “Most regretfully, there was no acknowledgement or response to that letter/altruistic request.”
According to him, the university spent billions of naira between 2010 and 2019 repairing and maintaining the road and the old Ureje Bridge as part of its corporate social responsibility.
Babalola said residents and other road users initially celebrated when the repair project was awarded to a contractor in 2019, but their excitement was short lived.
He said, “When the news of the award of repair works broke out early 2019, it was jubilation galore among millions of people that ply the road daily. But their joy soon became short-lived as the contractor only ended up compounding matters, thereby leaving the road worse than when it was awarded to him.”
Babalola said the contractor subsequently abandoned the road, adding that another contractor awarded the stretch about two years ago has also failed to improve its condition.
He said, “It is, however, saddening that rather than improving on the extant condition of the road, the contractor has ended up compounding matters by rendering it impassable. Today, many of our lecturers living outside the campus cannot come to the university with their vehicles, a development which makes them report to work late. It is that bad.”
He said the deplorable condition of the road is difficult to reconcile with the achievements and global recognition attracted to ABUAD.
He noted that the university was rated number one in Nigeria for five consecutive years by the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings, placing second in Africa and 72nd globally in the 2026 ranking.
He also cited the 400 bed ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, which he said has been acknowledged as one of the most well equipped hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa.
The ABUAD founder said the road is therefore not merely an access route to the university but a critical infrastructure connecting several institutions and economic assets.
He commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his efforts in attracting goodwill that contributed to the commencement of commercial operations at the airport.
He, however, said the poor condition of the road remains a major obstacle to the state’s development.
He said, “Despite our collective efforts to see Ekiti State created and nurtured to become the showpiece among the comity of states in Nigeria, regretfully and up till now, Ekiti State has not achieved the anticipated patriotic objectives of the founding fathers.”
He described Ekiti as “land-locked, motorway-locked, railway-locked, industry-locked, power-locked and airport-locked,” saying the situation has adversely affected economic development in the state.
Babalola also praised Ojudu for lending his voice to the campaign for the rehabilitation of the road.
He said, “The persistent voice of Senator Ojudu is well appreciated, particularly as it concerns ABUAD. His observations are not only correct, but they are equally apt and timely.”
He said Ojudu’s intervention has given him another voice in the campaign to make the road motorable.
He said, “At least I now have another voice to join mine over the impassable nature of the road leading to the university despite the honour and dignity it has attracted to the country in the realm of provision of quality, functional and impactful education.”
Babalola said the urgency of the appeal has also increased with the planned conferment of honorary Doctor of Laws degrees on him by Trinity Western University, Canada, and Trinity International University, USA, on October 21, 2026.
He questioned whether the deplorable road is the image Nigeria wants to showcase to the international guests expected at the ceremony.
He asked, “Is the deplorable and impassable road what we want to showcase to the international community? Something must be done about this road, and the time is now, bearing in mind that ours is a university which has students from all the 36 states of the Federation, including FCT and some foreign countries.”
Babalola further called on Ekiti people, particularly professors, professionals and opinion leaders, to join the campaign for the rehabilitation of federal roads in the state.
He said, “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.”
Digital Operations Manager at The Students Forum Nigeria.
