The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, has called on Chiefs, Mogajis and other traditional stakeholders across Ibadanland to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited dualisation of the Ibadan–Ijebu Ode Road.
The Federal Government is scheduled to officially flag off the project on Monday, August 24, 2026, at the open field of Legacy Estate, along the Idi Ayunre axis of the Ibadan–Ijebu Ode Road in Ibadan. The ceremony is expected to attract the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders.
The invitation to the Olubadan by the Federal Ministry of Works highlights the importance of traditional institutions and local communities in a project expected to significantly transform transportation and economic activities along the corridor.
The Ibadan–Ijebu Ode dualisation has been long overdue.
For decades, the road has remained one of the important transportation links between Oyo and Ogun states, while also providing connectivity towards the Lagos–Ogun axis. It serves communities along the route and supports the movement of commuters, traders, agricultural produce, goods and commercial vehicles.
However, the existing road has increasingly become inadequate for the volume of traffic it carries. Its narrow and winding sections have long presented challenges for motorists, particularly as population, commercial activity and vehicular movement along the corridor have expanded.
The road is therefore not merely another highway. It is a strategic economic corridor connecting important parts of the South-West.
The Federal Executive Council has approved the dualisation project, which is expected to cover approximately 56 kilometres, with the contract reportedly valued at about ₦295.99 billion and awarded to JRB Construction Company Limited. The Federal Government subsequently signed the execution agreement as part of a broader programme of strategic road infrastructure projects.
The significance of the project is further underscored by its potential to improve travel efficiency, road capacity, safety and the movement of goods and services between Oyo and Ogun states.
For residents of Ibadan and surrounding communities, the project represents the prospect of replacing an ageing and increasingly congested route with a modern dual carriageway capable of supporting the region's growing economic needs.
The old road has been in existence for generations and is widely associated with the infrastructure development of the old Western Region. The era of Chief Obafemi Awolowo's administration as Premier of the Western Region is particularly remembered for major investments in infrastructure, education and economic development. However, while the road is often popularly linked to that period, it would be inaccurate to definitively claim, without stronger documentary evidence, that Awolowo personally initiated or constructed the entire Ibadan–Ijebu Ode road.
What is clear is that the route has served the people of the South-West for many decades and has now reached a point where substantial reconstruction and expansion are necessary.
Consequently, the August 24, 2026 flag-off is more than a ceremonial event. It represents a major infrastructure milestone for Ibadanland and the wider South-West.
The presence of the Olubadan, Chiefs, Mogajis and other traditional stakeholders will add considerable significance to the occasion, as the ancient city witnesses the commencement of a project that could reshape one of its most important road connections.
After decades of waiting, the Ibadan–Ijebu Ode Road may finally be on the path to receiving the transformation it has long deserved.
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