By BDS
Road crashes in Ogun State are no longer accidents. They are symptoms of a leadership culture that reacts after lives are lost rather than acting before tragedy strikes. The recent crash involving Anthony Joshua has once again thrown the state into the national spotlight for the wrong reasons. Beyond the headlines lies a deeper and more troubling issue, a government that mourns preventable deaths but fails to prevent them.
This incident revives painful memories of the Mosimi crash, which claimed 18 lives. After the mourning and media attention faded, little changed. No visible systemic reforms, no sustained safety upgrades, no clear commitment to preventing a repeat. Today, we are reminded yet again that when lessons are ignored, tragedies return. Ogun State records dozens of highway fatalities annually, yet corridors notorious for accidents remain perilously underprotected.
Roads are not passive infrastructure. They are dynamic systems demanding foresight, planning, and continuous investment in safety. One of the most overlooked aspects is the absence or poor condition of road furniture and signage. Guardrails, warning signs, reflectors, rumble strips, speed indicators, and proper lane markings are not optional extras. They are proven lifesaving interventions. Many accidents blamed on speeding are, in reality, engineering failures. Sudden curves, poor visibility, and absent protective barriers make accidents inevitable when basics are neglected.
True leadership is anticipatory. It asks what could go wrong and acts before lives are lost. Writing condolence messages after preventable deaths is not governance. It is an admission of failure. Visionary leadership invests in systems, policies, and infrastructure that reduce risk long before sirens are heard. Safer roads demand more than symbolic gestures. They require immediate, practical action.
Government must conduct comprehensive safety audits of all major highways and known accident corridors. Proper road furniture must be installed and maintained. Signage must be standardized and visible. Lighting must be improved at junctions, curves, and high-risk zones. Traffic laws must be enforced consistently, not selectively. Emergency response must be reimagined. Trained personnel, functional ambulances, rapid communication, and clear response protocols save lives. Minutes matter. Preparedness matters.
*The ember months heighten these risks. Increased travel, driver fatigue, and night driving demand heightened enforcement, visible patrols, and public safety campaigns.* Leadership must be proactive, not ceremonial. Safer roads are not a luxury. They are a basic responsibility of government. Citizens deserve a future where movement does not feel like a gamble with death.
Safer roads will not come from mourning ceremonies or press statements. They will come only when prevention becomes policy and accountability replaces excuses.
