Papa Ajao Estate:‘ European Quarters’ Defaced By Nuisance, Lawlessness
UP to 20 years ago, Papa Ajao Estate, a sprawling residential area that borders the Isolo Industrial Estate, and Matori Industrial Layout, used to be a very quiet, serene, peaceful neighbourhood in the Mushin Local Council of Lagos State.
In its prime, the area was besotted by many as a result of its centrality, which enabled them to commute to many parts of the state with ease, as well as its nearness to many important destinations, including both the domestic/ international wings of the Murtala Mohammed Airports; Jibowu and Oshodi transportation hubs, markets, hospitals, and tertiary institutions, including the Isolo Campus of the Lagos State Polytechnic.
The ease with which its residents accessed Ikeja, the state capital, Lagos Island, and sundry locations in the Island, made it a choice spot for many public and private sector operators.
But today, the area, which some residents likened to “European Quarters” of old, has lost that pristine ambience, serenity, peace, and quietude. Not only has the original layout been bastardised, but it is also on the verge of being swallowed up by the ubiquitous and ever- expanding Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market, which before now, occupied just a fringe part of the neighbourhood. No thanks to the activities of businessmen who are buying up property and converting them to either shop, mechanic workshops, parking stores, or warehouses.
Once in a while, petty thieves and neighbourhood cultists also take turns to unleash their share of a nuisance to the consternation of the residents.
The failure of the Mushin Local Council authorities to effectively and diligently enforce sanitation and environmental laws, has also ensured that amenities, especially roads and road furniture are constantly defaced, or broken down by artisans and businessmen, who pay scant heed to the maintenance of facilities put in place by the government.
When artisans are not blocking or defacing roads, which they have turned to mechanics workshops, articulated vehicles, trucks and sundry heavy- duty vehicles are snaking around the neighbourhood constituting traffic snarls en route to delivering goods to the warehouses that are springing up by the day. Expectedly, the rising number of articulated trucks in the area also contributes its quota to fast- tracking the destruction of roads in the area.
Accessing the estate through Isolo Road, that is, from Iyana Isolo Bus Stop has now become a Herculean task because of the very bad state of the road, especially under the Isolo bridge.
For nearly five years, getting into the estate from Akinwunmi Street, off Five Stars Bus Stop, along the Oshodi- Apapa Expressway used to be something akin to having a bumpy ride on a tiger’s tail. But that became history after the state government completed the abandoned Akinwunmi Street, last year.
But unfortunately, the completion of the road project has come with a fresh challenge, at the instance of the local council. For most of the day, mechanics, electricians, spray painters and sundry artisans display swaths of cars on both sides of the road, which they have converted to a mas-sive mechanic workshop. They claim to pay N500 ( per vehicle) to the local council to use the road as parking space.
Whatever space that is left after four rows of vehicles have been lined up, is taken over by traders, who display their wares leaving pedestrians, and motorists little room to navigate.
Despite the tight corner, which they have boxed road users to, the artisans and traders’ fury know no bounds if any of the cars, or wares are destroyed, as the motorists meander through the sea of cars and displayed wares.
On Ladipo Road, the situation is no different as whatever portion that is not serving as a mechanic workshop, serves as a paid parking lot.
Venturing further into the estate, other roads are beginning to suffer this ugly fate. Some of the worst affected roads in this regard are Alhaji Amusa, Bello, Ojekunle, Olakunle, Olanibi, Osoro Way, Sadiku, Akinbayode, Dada, Matori/ Ladipo, and Awanatu streets, among others.
Nearly half of Alhaji Amusa Street has been closed to vehicular traffic for a while now as a result of the traders’ action, and that of the artisans.
In the last two years, six warehouses have sprouted up within a five- minute walk in the area. The latest two are located on Akinbayode Street, with one right on the premises of the defunct Suzan Martins School, Olakunle Street, one warehouse, same as Dada Street, while two warehouses recently opened along Olanibi Street.
Bello Street, another important street in the area is a pain in the neck for motorists due to the activities of traders, artisans, and owners of warehouses.
The activities of SPGM Warehouse, 56, Bello Street are particularly worrisome, and a great source of concern to road users. Since opening for business, the facility has constituted a menace with articulated vehicles, serviceable and non- serviceable vehicles always parked at the precinct of the outfit thereby causing motorists serious nightmare at the very tight corner, which leads to Akinwunmi Street.
Because of the chaos that is always happening there, including trucks breaking down, some motorists always make a detour to cut out the troubled spot whenever they are compelled to access the Oshodi- Apapa Expressway through that flank. Those conversant with the area venture into Yusuff Street, get into Oshikolu, then Oloje and eventually back to Bello Street, just by Akinwunmi Street.
Another outfit that is causing chaos through its activities along Bello Street is Ugo Iyke BMW Ltd, located at 38, Bello Street/ Adeolu Street. Regularly, between four and five sports utility vehicles are parked in front of the outfit causing problems for motorists that are either negotiating to enter, or come out of Adeolu Street, or continue on Bello Street. Since the outfit opened for business less than three years ago, the situation at that end has got increasingly bad.
Akinbayode Street used to be peaceful and orderly in the day, and at night, but the emergence of a hotel and two warehouses within 100 metres apart, it now attracts many people to the area daily. Container- bearing articulated vehicles routinely drive in to empty their contents. Consequently, trucks waiting to be hired to ferry goods to different locations across the state, have now turned parts of the street, and the adjoining Sadiku Street to truck parks.
While this happens, officials of the local council turn a blind eye to the menace and ignore the indiscriminate parking of vehicles by these truck drivers. Conversely, they feast on private car owners, who commit the same traffic offence.
Only the ones that part with bribes are let off the hook.
Over the years, the state government has displayed a sufficient lack of determination to decisively address the madness, which street traders, including some at the Ladipo Auto Spare Part Market, have continually exhibited. But despite making these promises, the impact has been less visible. This failure on the part of the government has emboldened the traders to