Residents and motorists across Ekiti State have decried the worsening condition of federal roads, describing the situation as both a humanitarian crisis and a glaring example of the urgent need to restructure Nigeria’s system of governance.
Despite Ekiti’s significant contributions to the national economy through agriculture, virtually all major entry and exit routes into the state have collapsed, causing untold hardship and disrupting trade and mobility.
Social commentator Kayode Teslim Owoso attributed the state of infrastructure decay to Nigeria’s over-centralized governance structure, which he said has left the federal government burdened with responsibilities it can no longer effectively manage.
“The major problem Nigeria is facing is the unitary system, where decisions meant to be made at the local level are being influenced by the Federal Government,” Owoso said.
He argued that the bureaucratic nature of the federal system makes it “nearly impossible for a Minister of Works sitting in Abuja to effectively construct and rehabilitate all Trunk A roads across the country.”
Citing historical records, Owoso noted that the last time the Federal Government constructed a new road in Ekiti was during the military administration of General Abdulsalami Abubakar. Since the return to democracy in 1999, successive administrations have only carried out rehabilitation works through the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
He said, “The Federal Government under President Obasanjo didn’t construct any road in Ekiti… Yar’Adua didn’t… Jonathan didn’t… and Buhari didn’t.”
According to him, state governments have often been forced to repair federal roads using their own limited resources — a situation worsened by the federal government’s new stance that there will be “no more refunds” for such interventions.
Owoso also pointed out Ekiti’s challenging terrain as a contributing factor to the infrastructural woes, explaining that constructing long, straight dual carriageways in the state requires building multiple bridges and blasting through hard igneous and metamorphic rock formations — an expensive and time-consuming process.
The influx of heavy-duty trucks diverted from neighboring routes has further accelerated the rate of road damage, he added.
Calling for a lasting solution, Owoso urged a complete restructuring of Nigeria’s governance system.
“We must advocate for a Nigeria where we end the unitary system and allow each community, state, or region to take ownership of its development,” he said.
Corroborating his stance, Ayo David Adeyemi, a management consultant and founder of PIPO Global Limited, emphasized that road infrastructure is fundamental to national productivity.
“Nigeria’s development challenge is not just about funding but structure. Without empowering states to manage their internal infrastructure and drive regional economies, the country will continue to face recurring decay in key sectors like transportation,” Adeyemi noted.
He stressed that meaningful progress would only be achieved through decentralization, accountability, and local ownership of development initiatives.
Owoso concluded by appealing to Ekiti indigenes in federal positions to intervene and ensure the transfer of developmental control and fiscal responsibility to the states, saying,
“The federal government must stop making states dependent on monthly allocations. Let every region control its resources and build its own future.”
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