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See How Yar’adua Arrived In His Peugeot 504 To Commission The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (VIDEO)

Published

6 years ago

April 23, 2020

Yar’adua Commissions The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway In 1978, He arrives at the venue in His Peugeot 504

The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway is a 127.6-kilometre-long (79.3 miles) expressway.

The Expressway connects Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State and Lagos. It is also the major route to the northern, southern and eastern parts of Nigeria.

The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway is the oldest expressway in Nigeria. It was commissioned in August 1978 during the military administration of Major-General Olusegun Obasanjo.

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The commissioning of the new Lagos-Ibadan expressway was done by Major-General Shehu Musa Yaradua in 1978. He was the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters during the General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military government (1976 –1979).

The now late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’adua is the elder brother to the equally late former President Musa Yar’adua.

In the 42-year old video below, Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’adua is seen arriving the venue of the event to declare open the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way in August 1978. He arrived at the venue in his official car – a Peugeot 504.

Yar’adua Commissioning the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway In 1978

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The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is the busiest inter-state route in Nigeria. It handles more than 250,000 Passenger Car Unit (PCU) daily and constitutes one of the largest road networks in Africa.

It is part of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) projects, concerned with road improvement and connectivity between the States of Nigeria.

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Ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan flagged off the reconstruction of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway on July 2013.

The contract was awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria and Reynolds Construction Company Limited at a sum of 167 billion Naira, equivalent to $838,986,290.

Two sections of the expressway will be reconstructed and this includes Section I (Lagos to Sagamu Interchange) and section II (Sagamu Interchange to Ibadan).

The reconstruction of the road had 2017 as the initial completion date but it was later moved to end of 2018/early 2019 by the Mohammadu Buhari-led government as a result of the increase in the scope of work.