Farmer constructs N12.8m bridge in Ogun community

Dosumu Kazeem, a 40-year-old farmer, built a N12.8 million link bridge by himself in a community in Abeokuta, Ogun State, providing relief to locals, commuters, and especially students who were distressed by the absence of an access road and bridge in the area, according to Daily Trust Saturday.

The absence of an access road and bridge in the Itesiwaju village, a different path to connect their schools and businesses, was a struggle for Samuel Ayomide, an SS2 student at Reverend Kuti Memorial Grammar School, Abeokuta, as well as hundreds of other students, teachers, and commuters, and it persisted for many years.

The neighbourhood, which is situated behind the Olusegun Obasanjo Hilltop, connects to the Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State's Olokuta end of Idi-Aba, Laderin Extension, Ewang Extension, and Abule-Ake. Students, locals, and commuters can use it as a "shortcut" to get where they need to go.

The absence of a bridge, however, had been a problem for the town, making it difficult for users to cross a river that runs through it, especially during the rainy season. It's an unclean and treacherous area.

“Crossing to the other side of the road was always a nightmare. A plank was laid across the two sides and we walked on it to cross daily. When it rains, we dare not pass through this place,” Ayomide told Daily Trust Saturday.

The river caught up with Victoroti Secondary School student Olokuta last year as he crossed the temporary bridge, but he was fortunate to receive assistance.

“Once it rains, this place becomes a no-go-area,” Ademuyiwa Oluwakemisola, a teacher at Futuristic Nursery and Primary School, located in the community, said.

However, Dosumu Kazeem, a 40-year-old cocoa farmer, believed that if nothing was done, things could get worse. In 2020, he accepted the challenge to build the bridge in order to save lives, particularly those of students who travel the slick path every day.

“I thought about it and concluded I could do it and not wait until there’s a major calamity. I do not have a car or motorcycle of my own,” he said.

Kazeem has built a bridge worth roughly N13m after three years of devoting personal resources with little to no help from community members.

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