Enugu-Onitsha Expressway: The Road to Hades

Enugu-Onitsha Expressway: The Road to Hades

In an absolute melancholic state, with my heart filled with the mixture of gloom and pity, that I remember the good Nigerians irrespective of their tribe that their breath was halted along Enugu Onitsha Expressway in the past twelve to fifteen years. May their souls rest in peace, and may their spirits never stop haunting and chasing after all the Igbo politicians that ate any allocation that was meant for the construction of this road in Jesus name, amen. Most especially, the souls of so many Nigerian youths that were sent to an early grave, without fulfilling their individual purpose and destiny on earth. 

Enugu Onitsha expressway is one of the major Eastern roads that linked so many states in the Eastern Nigeria. This road was formally the pride of the Eastern Region, but in the recent time, it can best be described as ROAD TO HADES. For several years, Enugu Onitsha Expressway has been abandoned by the Eastern politicians not the Federal Government. From a reliable source, I was made to understand that this road had been awarded severally, but some Igbo politicians and royal fathers ate or shared the money. What a pity. My question to the source was this; does it mean that this road hasn’t been captured in the federal government budget since the past twelve to fifteen years? The answer that I got was capital ‘NO.’ Now, what is actually the problem, why is this road in this sorry state? Question for the gods.

With due respect to all my Igbo brothers and sisters all over the world, I have come to realise that the problem of an Igbo man is another Igbo man, not even the Hausa’s or the Yoruba’s. Please, don’t argue this with me. But if you feel like arguing, kindly go to your village and take a good look at your roads, schools and hospitals. Or better still, ask any white hair fellow that hasn’t sold out his personality and conscience to mediocrity and corruption.

A section of the Enugu Onitsha Expressway showing the deplorable state

I love Ekweremadu, but I hate listening to his speeches. He has a wonderful and successful political career, having served as a senator since 2003. What a long service year. My question to him and other senators of his kind is this; what policy have you people been able to influenced towards The Eastern Region? Don’t you people have any plan to come up with long lasting economic policies that will affect the lives of the suffering Umuigbo positively? Why is Enugu Onitsha expressway in this condition?

It’s so appalling too that our people have also decided to sell their conscience to corruption, mediocrity, nepotism etc. Today we here slogans like; the Hausa’s hate the Igbo’s, same with the Yoruba’s. But we also forget that the Igbos hate themselves more. An Igbo man could choose to help someone from another region, but that same man wouldn’t carryout such philanthropic exercise in his own region or village. No wonder the axiom; Igbo ka nma na ezi, Igbos are better people when it comes to helping others.

A section of the Enugu Onitsha Expressway showing the deplorable state

Today, part of this road have transformed into farmlands, hunting yards and grazing field for the Herdsmen because cars no longer pass through them. Motorists going to Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia etc. now have to divert after Nnamdi Azikiwe University, through Ugwu Oba, Oji-River, Nachi, Udi or Eziagu to connect to Night Mile. I strongly believe that these politicians also plied through this road during their undergraduate days and it wasn’t this way. 

No state in the Eastern Region can boast of single good highway. Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway is also a dead trap. Few weeks ago, a terrible accident that claimed the lives of everybody that was inside a Peace Mass Transit Bus occurred along Umuahia road. Nigerians wept for these young souls that perished, but nobody bothered asking what actually was the cause of that accident. No one knows who the next victim would be.

A section of the Enugu Onitsha Expressway showing the deplorable state

The earlier the youths of the Igboland learn to uphold and speak nothing but the truth, irrespective of how expensive it appears, the closer they are in their race to meet their messiah. For our Igbo politicians, always try as much as possible to evaluate yourself and your performance by asking yourself this question; how have you impacted into the lives of your people? Always remember that there is no place like home because aku fecha, I believe you know the rest. A wise man says that; a dead person shall have all the sleep necessary, and that there is unity in strength. Knowledge is never complete: two good heads are better than one. Salute the deaf; if the heavens don't hear, the earth will hear. A word is enough for the wise.

- Emeka Ubesie is a young Nigerian writer and public affairs analyst. He is a member of Institute of Public Diplomacy and Management (IPDM), The Royal Life Saving Society of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN))

{Email: emekaubesie@yahoo.com, Twitter: @emeka_ubesie}