Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
For nine years, a small building constructed within the premises of Akpakila Primary School in the Apakila community of Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State, has remained a symbol of dashed hopes. Built with the promise of serving as a Primary Healthcare Centre for 26 surrounding communities, the structure has never been commissioned nor equipped to deliver healthcare services. Instead, what was intended to be a lifeline for thousands of residents has been converted into an administrative block for the school, leaving a vast population without access to even the most basic medical care.
The appeal, posted on X (formerly Twitter) by a concerned resident under the handle @_African_Farmer1, directly called out Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Federal Ministry of Health, highlighting a critical gap in the state’s primary healthcare network. The post detailed that a building designated for a PHC was repurposed, effectively turning the community’s hope into a storage facility. Today, residents are forced to travel long distances, often at great cost and risk, for services like vaccinations, maternal care, and treatment for common illnesses.
The situation in Apakila is not an isolated incident but rather a microcosm of a larger systemic problem plaguing Ogun State. Despite the Abiodun administration’s repeated pledges to revamp the state’s healthcare system and despite ongoing rehabilitation of some facilities, many rural communities continue to be left behind.
This gap between government promises and grassroots realities has been documented repeatedly. In 2023, a Premium Times investigation revealed that out of 531 registered PHCs in the state, the Abiodun-led administration had only then "renovated and equipped" 42, a figure the government defended as part of a long-term renewal drive. While comprehensive new builds and digitisation efforts have been announced since, the case of Akpakila underscores a persistent challenge: ensuring that health infrastructure, once built, actually serves its intended medical purpose, particularly in underserved rural areas. The repurposing of the building also points to potential lapses in project handover and community engagement, where the needs of the health sector were subordinated to those of the education sector at a local level.
The consequences of this neglect are acute. In the absence of a functional PHC, treatable illnesses can escalate into emergencies, maternal mortality risks rise, and routine health screenings are non-existent. The communities rely on a patchwork of distant clinics and sometimes unorthodox remedies, which can lead to financial ruin for families forced to travel or procure expensive private care.
The community’s call to action serves as a test case for Governor Abiodun’s stated commitment, reiterated as recently as March 2025, to reposition the state’s primary healthcare system. The state has embarked on ambitious projects, including the construction of a new PHC in Igbokorfi following a PUNCH investigative report and the rehabilitation of 75 health centres. However, for the 26 communities dependent on the Apakila facility, progress remains a far-off promise.
As the residents wait, the unused building stands as a stark reminder of a promise unfulfilled. The appeal to the governor and the federal government is a plea for their basic human right to health. The coming months will test whether the Ogun State Government will respond to this specific grievance or whether the voices of these communities will once again be absorbed into the silence of official neglect.
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