Badagry (Lagos State): The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr Sunday Makinde, has urged President Bola Tinubu not to abandon the proposed Sokoto–Badagry Highway in spite of the criticisms from some quarters.

Makinde made the appeal on Saturday in Badagry during the funeral outing thanksgiving of the late Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu Toyi I, held at the Freeman Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Jegba Quarters.

According to him, the highway project is crucial to national development and should be pursued with the same commitment as the ongoing Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway.

“We are waiting to see serious construction on the Sokoto–Badagry Highway, just as we are witnessing progress on the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project,” he said.

The cleric also urged the President to intensify efforts towards addressing insecurity and unemployment in the country.

Speaking on the late traditional ruler, Makinde described Aholu Menu Toyi I as a peaceful and just ruler who promoted unity throughout his reign.

He noted that the late king spent 29 years on the throne and remained steadfast in his faith until his death.

Makinde recalled that he was passionate about the development of Badagry and often expressed concern over its slow growth.

According to him, the late Akran attributed the town’s challenges to the historical impact of the transatlantic slave trade and called for prayers to overcome its lingering effects.

“He believed Badagry should have developed beyond its current state and urged spiritual intervention for the land,” Makinde said.

The cleric added that the traditional ruler’s life and death underscored the transient nature of human existence and the importance of service to humanity.

He commended Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for supporting the burial rites of the late king and for his developmental strides in the state.

Makinde likened Sanwo-Olu’s efforts to those of past leaders such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Lateef Jakande, whose legacies, he said, continue to endure.

“Your work will always speak for you when you are no more,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dignitaries at the event included Gov. Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Gov. Kadiri Hamzat, members of the Lagos State Executive Council, council chairmen, traditional rulers, and other prominent Nigerians.