This piece is a response to a letter written by Olutele Ogundipe and published inP.M.NEWS edition of Thursday August 2, 2012. In the letter, Ogundipe emphasized on social responsibility and the need for Pastor E.A.Adeboye and the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, to evolve plans for the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway with or without the involvement of the Federal Government.
It is important to make the following clarifications in respect of this piece from the outset. One, this does not, in any way, represent a response by the RCCG or Pastor E.A. Adeboye in respect of the issues raised by the author in the letter. Second, Ogundipe’s fundamental rights to freely express opinions on any issue as deemed fit is highly respected and appreciated. Third, the RCCG has established institutional frameworks to officially react to Ogundipe’s letter, if it thinks it deserves such attention. Fourth, being a passionate and inquisitive reader, I have useful information that is quite germane to the validity or otherwise of some of Ogundipe’s claims. Lastly, my interest in this issue is purely based on innate desire to further enhance public understanding on the matter.
Having made these clarifications, I would like to begin by stating that Ogundipe’s suggestion that the RCCG constitute a committee for the rehabilitation of the road is a sad reflection on how bad things have gone in the country. Aside being the most populous black nation in the world, Nigeria is the sixth oil exporting nation in the world. It is, therefore, disheartening that it could be suggested that a nation with such intimidating credentials relies on a church to rehabilitate such an important road as the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. For the record, the road remains the major road that links the southern part to other parts of the country. In view of its economic importance, it is, perhaps, the most important road in the country.
One will not be surprised if, in the not too distant future, other people may suggest that the Benin–Ore, Apapa-Oshodi, Oshodi-Abeokuta as well as other major federal roads in the country be taken over by churches that have the ‘misfortune’ of having their presence along such roads. Perhaps, in like manner, the rejuvenation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, the reconstruction of obsolete refineries in the country, the renovation of the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos, in addition to other dilapidated public institutions in the country, might soon become the responsibility of churches in the country. Things have become that bad.
Rather than vent his anger on RCCG and its leadership, Ogundipe, and indeed others with similar viewpoints, ought to have directed their grievances at the right quarters. It is vital to state that the road in question has been concessioned to Bi-Courtney Highways Limited since May 2009. As a stakeholder on the road, since I work and live along the axis, I can affirm that the issues involved on the road are not as simplistic as Ogundipe made it seem.
For one, the whole of the 109 kilometre road is in a real bad shape and needs urgent government intervention. Second, the nuisance of trailer and tanker drivers on the road is becoming quite alarming. Not only that they drive recklessly, but they equally patk their trailers indiscriminately. They have become a law unto themselves. Nobody seems to be capable of getting them to act responsibly. On the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, there is one law for other drivers and a different one for the trailer and tanker drivers.
The indiscriminate parking of trailers on either side of the road is a serious factor in the painful traffic gridlock that commuters regularly suffer on the road. Some of the truck drivers plying the expressway are reckless and recalcitrant, an attitude that has become a major cause of this age-long traffic challenge on the expressway. It is sad that most of the federal and state agencies that ought to ensure that the tanker drivers do the right thing are obviously overwhelmed by the situation. The end result is that the road has become one big animal kingdom where insanity is the order of the day.
Third, incessant cases of abandoned vehicles constitute a major hindrance to motorists on the highway. Also, the transformation of the axis into a vast business and residential hub, with emerging communities such as Arepo, Magboro, Ibafo, Asese, Olowotedo, and Pakuro among others, has equally worsened the traffic chaos along the road; likewise the location of the international headquarters of many religious groups along the axis.
Taking over the rehabilitation of a federal road such as the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, is not as easy as Ogundipe theorized in his letter. Ask the various state governments that have tried it, they will certainly confirm that it could be a very frustrating venture. While Ogundipe gave RCCG up till 2013 to upgrade the road, it must be stated that sorting out the technical and bureaucratic details involved in such projects takes years to complete. For instance, despite signing the concessionary agreement to rehabilitate the road with the Federal Government (FG) since 1999, Bi-Courtney and the FG are still meeting to iron out technical aspects of the project, which is yet to take off.
Perhaps more importantly, since Ogundipe cited social responsibility as the reason RCCG should fix the road, it is important to dwell a bit on this. For one, it is vital to stress that every individual or organisation determines the kind of social or community service it involves in. Having emphasized this, it is essential to reveal that the RCCG has, over the years, been involved in numerous social services aimed at enhancing the spiritual and physical well being of the people.
For instance, the mission recently completed the construction of a 9 kilometre road (incorporating bridges) from the Redemption Camp to Shimawa linking Ikorodu from Ogijo without passing through the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Equally, the mission has an outreach that rehabilitates drug addicts across the country by housing and empowering them after completing their various trainings. Similarly, the Redeemed Aids Programme Action Committee (RAPAC), a social welfare arm of the RCCG, established in May 1998, has been providing intervention programmes on the dreaded HIV/AIDS scourge. Since inception, it has rendered qualitative services to orphans and vulnerable children, single mothers and widows, people living with HIV, trauma victims, married couples in crisis, health workers, pastors, counsellors, teachers and the youths in the church and its host community. This is aside its numerous free health missions across the country. The mission is also involved in prison outreaches across the country.
Also, Pastor Adeboye recently donated N50 million to the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, for the endowment of a professorial chair for mathematics in that tertiary institution. The endowment gifts offer an extraordinary opportunity for benefactors to support research into the big questions of our time and beyond.
Similar donations were made to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos.
The mission is also expected to dedicate a Youth Academy in line with its social corporate responsibility.
In order to encourage youths to take up sports, RCCG has been sponsoring various boxing and football competitions. For instance, over 1,500 footballers from 56 football clubs drawn from Lagos State participated in the inaugural edition of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye Greatness Football League. This is just to mention a few of the numerous social services which the church is involved in.
On a final note, it is heartwarming that some southwest governors recently held a discussion with President Goodluck Jonathan on the road. One hopes that other stakeholders will prevail on the FG and Bi-Courtney to sort out issues delaying the rehabilitation of this all important road promptly.
•Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja. pls fell free to add your comments.
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