Afenifere raises alarm over exclusion of Ondo coastline from Lagos-Calabar Highway alignment

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has raised concerns over the recent realignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, warning that the removal of Ondo State’s coastal communities from the project’s original route could undermine historical fairness and limit economic opportunities for the region.

The group argued that the revised alignment does not reflect the initial purpose of the proposed 700-kilometre infrastructure project and could leave Ondo State disconnected from a major national development initiative.

In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, signed by Afenifere’s Secretary-General, Sola Ebiseni, on behalf of the Ilaje-Yoruba people and other coastal communities in Ondo State, the group stated that the state’s coastline was being excluded from a project that was originally envisioned to connect the coastal regions.

Ebiseni explained that the concept of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway dates back to around 1900, when the Ilaje coastal territory, now part of Ondo State, was under the Lagos Colony.

He expressed concern that the exclusion of Ondo’s coastal areas could fuel speculation that the project’s current design may be more focused on opening up private real estate opportunities along the Lagos coastline rather than promoting broader regional development.

The Afenifere official appealed to President Tinubu to review the alignment and ensure the highway extends through Ondo State’s coastal communities, linking Lagos to Oghoye in Warri before connecting with the Edo State section through an oxbow route beyond the meeting point of Kokotoro and Adabrasa creeks, and continuing through Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.

Ebiseni maintained that opening up Ondo’s largely undeveloped coastline would create economic benefits that could spread beyond the coastal areas to other parts of the state, including Owo and Akoko, just as coastal investments in Lagos have contributed to development in areas such as Agbara, Igbesa, Sango, and Sagamu in Ogun State.

He urged the Federal Government to prioritise balanced development and ensure the project becomes a lasting national legacy rather than being influenced by what he described as “political expediency.”

According to him, the untapped economic potential of coastal communities outside Lagos is enormous, and excluding them from the highway corridor would deny several regions the opportunity to benefit from increased trade, investment, and infrastructure growth.