A quiet morning in Epe, kakalistiq.com reports that a scenic and once-peaceful town in Lagos State, was on Monday 11th November, 2024, shattered by yet another tragic road accident, one many are describing as utterly avoidable.
This accident, which occurred at the bustling Ayetoro Market coinciding with the “Epe Ero” bi-weekly market day has left families grieving and the community in shock, questioning the persistent menace of heavy-duty trucks and other vehicles plying their town with no recourse to safe driving.
According to eyewitness reports, the accident involved a fully-loaded cement truck, which, while speeding (possibly due to a brake failure) suddenly lost control on the hilly Paramount axis of the Epe-Ijebu-Ode Expressway. The truck reportedly swerved dangerously, skidding and crashing into several roadside kiosks, shops and vehicles.
Bystanders who narrowly escaped described the sight as “horrific,” noting how the truck flattened everything in its path.
The collision led to a scene of destruction, claiming lives and injuring multiple others.
For the people of Epe, this accident is a grim reminder of the dangers posed by large trucks. “It feels like a curse,” said a local resident who witnessed the scene. “We have seen too many of these accidents, and yet nothing seems to change. We keep losing loved ones because of lack of strict adherence to safer driving and inadequate enforcement.”
Community members and safety advocates, particularly The Emerald Blazers (An NGO) have long sounded alarms over the issue, attributing such accidents to the inadequate installation of road safety apparatus apart from Traffic lights, regulation of heavy-duty trucks, poor road conditions, and lack of basic safety measures, such as speed limits or regular vehicle inspections. “The drivers are overworked, the vehicles are often overloaded, and our roads are simply not built for this level of traffic,” explained another resident.
The recent incident has prompted renewed calls for action from local leaders, who are demanding stricter regulations on the movement of heavy-duty vehicles. Many are urging for more stringent licensing processes, mandatory rest periods for drivers, and better maintenance of trucks operating in the area.
The question now weighs heavily on everyone’s minds: who will save the lives of Epe residents as they continue to face the deadly specter of preventable accidents on their smooth roadways? Despite impassioned pleas from community leaders and development advocates, who have repeatedly drawn the government’s attention to the issue, little has been done to install essential safety measures that could save lives.
Every accident feels like an indictment of an apathetic system that seems to weigh lives against costs, as if human lives are a currency to be counted. Yet, can the community itself claim complete innocence?
The unchecked operation of unfit vehicles and the unregulated spread of roadside stalls have certainly contributed to the problem. These makeshift kiosks and garages not only crowd the Ayetoro axis, creating bottlenecks, but also draw pedestrians into harm’s way, exacerbating the danger posed by reckless vehicles. Perhaps it’s time for everyone—residents, traders, drivers, riders and the government alike—to do their part in reclaiming the safety of Epe. Could this tragedy serve as the turning point?
Shouldn’t the community, realizing the urgency, begin enforcing vehicle checks from accessing the hills, clearing congested areas, and taking proactive measures? And for yesterday’s accident, should there have been a collective action when people saw that truck, laden and descending the Ita-Opo hill?
Moving forward, it remains to be seen whether the government and local stakeholders will treat this incident as yet another statistic or as a call to action, ensuring that the streets of Epe are safe for everyone.
As the people of Epe mourn their losses, they hope that this tragic incident will serve as a catalyst for change, urging authorities to act decisively before another “avoidable” accident claims more lives. For now, however, their grief is compounded by the reality that this was, once again, a tragedy that could have – and should have – been prevented.
