The Benin City centre, which was renamed Oba Ovoranmen Square by the Adams Oshiomhole administration, is popularly called Ring Road. It was previously known as the King Square. All roads leading to Benin City from the east, west, north or south terminated at the Ring Road. Some of the roads were part of the nine ancient roads that led to Benin when it was capital of the ancient Benin Kingdom.
The Ring Road was the place where the colonial masters used to hold court. It served as place for soldiers’ recruitment during the colonial days. It was there the late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia was recruited into the military after he watched a military parade at the field. It was rebuilt to its present status by Dr. Ogbemudia when he became military administrator. Where the field used to be now houses the Benin Musuem.
The Bank of Nigeria, the Oba’s Palace, Urhokpota hall, and some banks are located around the Ring Road. Adjoining roads to the Ring Road are Akpakpava, Mission, Forestry, Sokponba, Siluko, Ekenwan, Airport and Sapele.
Before the coming of Oshiomhole’s administration, the Ring Road and adjoining streets were in terrible state. There was heavy traffic congestion, refuse heaps littered the roads, and walking the Ring Road was a thing of fear due to robbery attacks and activities of pick pockets. It was in fact a smelling environment as motor parks were located at every junction of the road.
Peeved by the sorry state of the Ring Road and adjoining roads, former Governor Oshiomhole invested massively on road infrastructure and urban renewal project. His argument was that Benin City is home to every Edo man and woman and as such the city center should bear the semblance of a modern city. To restore the beauty of the Ring Road, Oshiomhole sacked all motor-parks around the Ring Road, including the one owned by Chief Osamede Adun popularly known as Bob Izua. He reconstructed all roads leading to the Ring Road to dual carriage ways with walk ways and street lights. A water fountain worth N200m was built at the Ring Road.
Youths were employed under the Edo YES initiative to stop street trading. Commercial bus drivers were barred from driving into the Ring Road. Several gardens were created around the Ring Road and bore holes were sunk to serve as a source of water for the flowers during the dry season. Opposition parties accused the Oshiomhole administration of using state’s fund to plant grasses, built water fountain and boreholes whereas the people lacked water to drink.
The Ring Road became a beauty to behold. The street lighting around the Ring Road restored people’s confidence to walk around the place without fears of being robbed. The gardens created around the Ring Road and the Water Fountain attracted thousands of people to the Ring Road during festive period. The usual heavy traffic was reduced and driving around the Ring Road was an excitement.
Today, the Ring Road is now in a sorry state. The money spent to beautify the place appears to have been wasted. Workers previously employed to water the grasses and flowers are nowhere to be seen. Gardens created in front of institutions, such as the House of Assembly, Central Hospital, First Bank are unkempt. Rails erected around many of the gardens have been destroyed. Many of the flower pots in adjoining streets are without flowers. Pavements in the adjoining streets now serve as refuse dumps.
Walk ways meant for pedestrians around the Ring Road are now used by traders for display of all kinds of wares. Destitute have found abode at some of the once beautiful gardens while the musical Water Fountain is usually on once in a week. The Ring Road Oshiomhole rebuilt and today’s Ring Road are worlds apart.
Besides, heavy chaotic traffic has returned to the Ring Road because of activities of commercial bus drivers and street traders. It is now hell to drive through the Ring Road.
During his several inspections of projects, former Governor Oshiomhole personally arrested traders that displayed wares on the walkways. He ordered seizure of vehicles causing heavy traffic because the people he entrusted duties failed because of monies collected from the traders and drivers.
In February, the state government commenced enforcement of the ‘Project Clean up Edo’ which saw the arrest and prosecution of many traders caught displaying their wares on the walk ways. The traders were charged under section 10, sub-section C of Edo State sanitation and Pollution Management Law No 5, 2010 and section 203 of the Criminal Code and were fined between N5000 and N20,000.
Chief of Staff to Governor Obaseki Taiwo Akerele recently told reporters that that State government would soon roll out its programme to keep the city clean, especially the Ring Road.
During a strategic dialogue meeting on “Setting Agenda for the new administration”, among the six thematic areas Obaseki planned to focus on are Economic Revolution, Culture and Tourism, Environmental Sustainabilty, Welfare Enhancement, Infrastructure Development and Institutional Reform.
To further prove his determination to keep the clean, Obaseki gathered experts at a two-day workshop to brainstorm on how to keep the State clean. Edo State has assured the people of his administration’s determination to make Edo the cleanest state in Nigeria.
A former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, who chaired the workshop, said investors are attracted to states where the environment is clean.
He noted that efforts to make Edo State a reference point for environmental sustainability might be unachievable without support and partnership from private organisations and individual input.
Duke said the government’s policies on environment would be inefficient if the people were not properly carried along.
He said: “Government may come up with all sorts of policies, but if the people you gather do not take ownership of the policies, the system would not work. The people must appreciate what you are doing, believing that it is good for them. It should not only be the government’s programme, but also theirs.”
The coming months will tell if Obaseki can restore the Ring Road as dreamt by Oshiomhole or make it a world class city centre.
