The Nigerian Government has rerouted the ongoing demolition for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, which initially threatened to demolish at least 2,000 homes in the Okun-Ajah Community in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
This decision was disclosed in a letter of appreciation dated July 5th, signed by the Baale of Okun-Ajah, Chief Sikiru Olukosi, and Secretary, Kamorudeen Balogun.
The community thanked the Federal Government for considering and addressing their concerns.
The community expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for the decision to reroute the coastal road project.
The letter reads in part: “The willingness of the Federal Government to consider and act upon the concerns of our community is profoundly appreciated and it demonstrates the government’s commitment to preserving our cultural heritage.”
“Your decision has brought immense relief and delight to the people of Okun-Ajah Community, as our traditional home holds significant cultural and historical value to us. It is a place where our traditions and customs are upheld, and it serves as a symbol of our identity and unity”.
“By choosing to reroute the road to the swamp area of the community, you have not only safeguarded a crucial part of our heritage by saving thousands of our people from homelessness but also reinforced the trust and confidence we have in the Federal Government of Nigeria that has shown human emotions for her citizenry”.
In May 2024, the Okun-Ajah community appealed to the Federal and Lagos State governments to exclude their traditional ruler’s palace and 2,000 other homes from the revised project route, asserting that these properties were wrongly marked for demolition.
On May 24, the Nigerian Government reassured the Okun-Ajah community that their properties would not be demolished. Minister of Works David Umahi, who met with representatives from communities along the road alignment from Eko Atlantic (Chainage Zero) to Eleko (Chainage 47.4km), confirmed that the construction in this area would follow the original gazetted route by the federal government.
The 700-kilometre road project, estimated to cost ₦15 trillion and span eight years to complete, has its pilot phase starting at Eko Atlantic City and terminating at Lekki Deep Seaport.
For this phase, ₦1.06 trillion has already been released.The project features a 10-lane highway, costing ₦4 billion per kilometre, and is set to be the first of its kind in Africa, according to Umahi.