The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider the proposed realignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, warning that the new route could exclude Ondo State's coastal communities from one of Nigeria's most significant infrastructure projects.
The appeal was conveyed in an open letter signed by Afenifere's Secretary-General, Sola Ebiseni, on behalf of the Ilaje-Yoruba people and other coastal communities in Ondo State.
According to the organisation, recent indications from the Federal Ministry of Works suggest that the highway alignment may no longer follow the coastline through Ondo State before extending into Delta and other Niger Delta states.
Afenifere argued that removing Ondo's coastal corridor from the project would disconnect communities that were originally expected to benefit from the approximately 700-kilometre highway linking Lagos and Calabar.
The organisation maintained that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was conceived as a strategic corridor intended to connect Nigeria's coastal communities while stimulating economic growth, tourism and regional integration.
Ebiseni recalled that historical records trace the concept of the coastal highway back to the colonial era, when the Ilaje coastal territory formed part of the old Lagos Colony, making Ondo's coastline an integral part of the original vision.
He warned that altering the alignment could diminish the historical significance of the project while denying several coastal communities the long-term economic opportunities associated with improved road connectivity.
Afenifere further expressed concern that excluding Ondo's coastline may fuel public suspicion that the project is being redirected primarily to unlock private real estate opportunities along parts of the Lagos coast.
The organisation stressed that maintaining the original coastal alignment would provide broader national benefits beyond Ondo State by opening up largely undeveloped coastal settlements for commerce, tourism, agriculture and industrial investment.
According to the letter, improved access to Ondo's coastline could also stimulate economic activities in neighbouring communities, with development extending to inland areas such as Owo and Akoko through improved transportation links.
Ebiseni proposed that the highway should proceed from Lagos into Ondo State before continuing through Oghoye in Warri and linking the Edo section through an oxbow alignment beyond the Kokotoro and Adabrasa creeks before extending across Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
He argued that such an alignment would preserve the highway's original purpose of connecting Nigeria's Atlantic coastline while ensuring equitable regional development.
Afenifere described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as one of the most important infrastructure projects in the Niger Delta, alongside initiatives such as the East-West Road, the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
The organisation noted that the coastal highway has the potential to deliver long-term economic transformation that could outlast many previous intervention programmes in the region.
Ebiseni urged President Tinubu to ensure that the project becomes a lasting national legacy by prioritising fairness, inclusion and balanced regional development over what he described as political expediency.
The letter also commended the President and Nigeria's security agencies for recent gains recorded in counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism operations across the country.
Afenifere expressed confidence that the same commitment shown in strengthening national security should be reflected in delivering infrastructure projects that benefit all affected communities without unnecessary exclusion.
The organisation concluded by reaffirming the loyalty of the Ondo coastal communities while expressing hope that the Federal Government would review the proposed alignment to ensure that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway fulfils its original vision of connecting Nigeria's entire Atlantic coastline.