In an occasion which brought together most of the respected elders in Ikorodu division, royal majesties, custodians of history of Ikorodu, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Ikorodu-Lagos road, a Cenotaph has been unveiled at the popular Ikorodu garage roundabout to commemorate the official opening of the road on May 2nd, 1953.
In the opening speech where he recounted efforts towards the actualization of the Ikorodu-Lagos road, Chief B. O Benson, SAN, Chairman of the 60th commemoration anniversary of the official opening of the road, revealed that the first document on the project was done by the grand son of the Ayangburen at the time, where he said was recorded that the pioneering Chairman of the road was from Ijebu Ode, and that Ijebuland contributed £3,000 to the first ever construction carried out on the road.
The widely revered Elder statesman, further said that during the time of late Ayangburen of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Late Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi, a proposal was put forward to take action on the commemoration of the road in 2013. Chief Benson again commended the financial commitment of Ijebu Ode land, saying after one of its sons was approached to Chair the committee, he donanted #1Million, while Ijebu Ode and Remo kingdoms donated #1.5Million and #1Million respectively. He however berated Ikorodu and its people for failing to make any commitment whatsoever towards the project during the time, when the present Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Adewale Shotobi served as treasurer.
He noted that the occasion would go down as historical reference point for the present generations and those unborn, adding that the documentation had been done to preserve the history of the road.
Oba Semiudeen Kasali; the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, while commending the efforts of the committee, however noted that more useful information such as when the road was first contracted and the contractor who worked on it, with other valuable information would properly preserve the history and qualify it as point of reference in libraries in the country. The royal father further charged the committee to conduct a research on where the 1953 monumental bridge, which provided a link to the road over water was removed to, saying such structure should serve as tourist attraction, like it is done in the Western countries.
Highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the 60th anniversary cenotaph by the Ayangburen of Ikorodu; Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi. The cenotaph contained names of 38 Ikorodu heroes of the first construction of the Ikorodu-Lagos Road between 1942-1953, as well the names of the 60th anniversary committee members of 2013.
