Over 10 years after the Agege area lost a once-upon-a-time popular
entertainment centre, Pen Cinema, it is set to have a monument that
will replace it.
Not many people remember that, even before the establishment of
Silverbord Cinema, Film One cinema houses etc, there used to be one
called Pen Cinema, located where you now have a church and restaurant
in the place called Pen Cinema, with the entire area deriving its name
from the cinema.
The Akinwunmi Ambode government excited many residents when it
announced that it would build a flyover there.
Work has since commenced on this and the government has pulled down
buildings that could obstruct it.
Also, the government has announced plans to enforce a partial
restriction of movement for motorists in the Agege axis to accelerate
the ongoing construction of the Pen Cinema flyover, with effect from
Jan. 4.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Mr
Olujimi Hotonu, in a statement, said there would be a complete closure
of the roads in the axis at some point during the construction but
that it would start with a partial restriction of movement.
Hotonu said traffic diversion routes have been created to ensure ease
of movement along the corridor.
He said that vehicles coming from Ogba/Oba Ogunji, except articulated
vehicles, were expected to come in through Ijaiye Low Cost Housing
Estate to link Iju Road.
Hotonu said that articulated vehicles and other vehicles plying this
axis had the option of either turning right toward Iju Road at the Pen
Cinema intersection or turning left toward Moshalashi Alhaja.
“Similarly, vehicles coming from Iju Road should go toward Moshalashi
Alhaja or turn toward Oba Ogunji/ Ogba, as the turning toward the
right to the Railway crossing will remain closed.
“There will be a complete closure of the road for vehicles coming from
Moshalashi Alhaja toward the Railway crossing, while vehicles coming
from Moshalashi Alhaja axis will be expected to either move toward Iju
Road or turn right toward Oba Ogunji/Ogba Road.
“All vehicles coming from Old Abeokuta Motor Road are enjoined to go
straight toward Agege Motor Road or turn right toward Afa Nla/Oke Koto
Roads, while vehicles coming from Agege Motor Road are enjoined to go
straight toward Old Abeokuta Motor Road or turn into Afa Nla/Oke Koto
roads.
“No vehicle from these axis will be allowed to pass through the Pen
Cinema intersection,” Hotonu said.
He assured that adequate arrangements had been made to mitigate the
impact of the closure of the roads on motorists and residents.
Hotonu said that the restriction of movement was expected to last for
an estimated period of between three and six months.
He said that this would enable the contractor take full advantage of
the weather and space to deliver seamlessly, the critical aspect of
the flyover construction that falls within the Pen Cinema roundabout
and railway crossing at the Old Abeokuta Road junction.
He appealed for caution and cooperation with the traffic and security
personnel deployed to ease movement, while regretting the
inconveniences the partial restriction would cause motorists and
residents.
Hotonu noted that the ultimate goal of the plan was to make life
easier and improve traffic along the corridor.
Finally, a flyover to appease memory of real Pen Cinema
