Residents of Ajebo Road Housing Estate, Kemta, Abeokuta, are mourning the tragic death of Professor Oladipo Ademuyiwa, a renowned Biochemical Toxicology expert at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).
He was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver on the newly rehabilitated Kemta-Somorin Road on Sunday.
Professor Ademuyiwa, who was in his early 60s, had just stepped out of a cab and was attempting to cross the road near the Prof Wole Soyinka end when a speeding vehicle hit him and fled the scene.
Reacting to the incident, Dr. Ayo Ajasa, Chairman of the Ajebo Road Housing Estate Community Development Association (CDA), described the professor’s death as a preventable tragedy. He criticized the government for ignoring repeated pleas to install speed breakers on the road to prevent accidents.
“This unfortunate incident, which occurred on Sunday, February 16, 2025, has once again exposed the dire need for immediate government intervention to prevent further tragedies on this road,” Ajasa stated.
He expressed frustration over the government’s failure to implement safety measures, pointing out that while speed bumps had been installed on the Ilugun end of the road, requests for similar measures in Ajebo Road Housing Estate were ignored.
To prevent further loss of life, Ajasa urged the Ogun State government to urgently install speed breakers, lorry barriers, and clear traffic signage to caution reckless drivers. He also called for stricter law enforcement to curb excessive speeding in the area.
Ajasa further lamented that the community has suffered repeated accidents and near-fatal encounters due to government inaction. He revealed that another accident had occurred within 24 hours of the professor’s death, reinforcing concerns that the road remains a serious hazard.
“We hold the government accountable and call on the Governor of Ogun State to intervene immediately before more lives are lost,” he said.
Ajasa also appealed to the media, civil society organizations, and well-meaning Nigerians to amplify their call for justice and improved road safety in the community.
