The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday assured that the Laderin train station road in Abeokuta will be completed soon.

 

Governor Abiodun, expressing concern over the Federal Government’s decision to build the train station without an access road, explained that his administration, after constructing a world-class airport at Ilishan, took the initiative to build a new access road directly from the Sagamu-Benin Expressway, despite existing roads to Ilishan and Iperu.

The Governor made this statement during a special church service marking the 2024/2025 Legal Year at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta.

 

Abiodun revealed that the contractor working on the project has completed two large box culverts to divert water from the road, with earthworks and drainage about to begin.

He said, “It’s perplexing that a train station was completed without including an access road in the original project. Today, we have built a world-class airport in Remo, and we ensured the access road was an integral part of the project. Similarly, we are now constructing an access road to the train station, which starts from the Sagamu-Benin Expressway. There’s no need to go through Ilisan or Iperu. This is what a well-planned project should look like.

“In this case, the station was built without an access road, but as a responsible government, we have awarded the contract, and the project is ongoing. With the box culverts completed, the contractor will soon start the earthworks and drainage. I will personally urge them to complete the work on schedule.”

Abiodun added that the legal year provides an opportunity to reaffirm the state’s dedication to justice and the improvement of its administration.

 

Reflecting on the challenges faced by the judiciary over the past year, Abiodun praised its resilience, noting that the judiciary remains a symbol of fairness and independence.

 

“The judiciary is the foundation of democracy, ensuring justice, equity, and fairness while safeguarding individual rights and maintaining societal stability,” the governor said.

He emphasized that law, order, and justice are essential for a just society and expressed confidence in the judiciary’s ability to uphold the rule of law and protect citizens’ rights.

 

“I trust that our Law Officers will continue to uphold professionalism and dedication, aligning with the state’s vision for a fair and just society,” Abiodun remarked.

 

In his sermon titled “Let Justice Flow,” Most Reverend Solomon Ojumu, Archbishop of the African Church, urged judges to deliver impartial judgments and stressed the importance of swift justice, reminding that “justice delayed is justice denied.”

 

Taking his text from Amos 5:21-23, the Archbishop highlighted injustices faced by the oppressed and called on judges to defend the poor, delivering fair rulings regardless of social status.

He also called on leaders to alleviate the suffering in the nation, pointing to the hunger and desperation caused by a few elites’ actions.

 

The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, read the only lesson of the service from Romans 12:9-21.