A strong call for transparency and fairness has emerged in the heated debate over the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, as legal practitioner Dr. Oluwatoyin Aladegbami insists that Ondo State’s coastal communities, particularly Ilaje, must not be sidelined in Nigeria’s landmark infrastructure project.
“The coastline must not be silent,” Aladegbami declared, stressing that the alignment of the 750-kilometre highway is not just a technical matter but a development decision with long-term consequences for communities, economies, and the environment.
While voicing support for the Federal Government’s investment in connectivity across nine coastal states, she emphasized that citizens have the right to demand evidence-based decisions. “If engineering conditions justify a change in alignment, let the engineering evidence speak for itself,” she said, urging disclosure of geotechnical reports, environmental assessments, and comparative cost analyses.
Aladegbami warned against reducing stakeholder engagement to “presentations and photographs,” insisting that affected communities deserve meaningful consultation and clear answers about how the highway will impact their livelihoods, land values, and access to Nigeria’s emerging blue economy.
Her position is firm yet balanced: “I do not say, ‘Build the road through Ilaje at all costs.’ I say, ‘Show us the evidence on which the alignment has been determined, and ensure that Ondo’s coastal corridor receives proper consideration.’”
The statement reframes the debate from political rivalry between states to a national development vision, calling for an independent technical review that prioritizes engineering integrity, environmental responsibility, and equitable growth.
