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South East roads: Will Umahi make or mar them?

Published

2 years ago

December 5, 2023

By Chudi Okologbu Uwandu

Will the Hon Minister for works, Senator, Chief, Nweze Umahi, gladen the hearts of South Easterners and embolden them to travel to their homeland this Christmas , or scare them away with potholes, craters and broken bridges?

Soon, in less than 25 days, it will be Christmas and Easterners, especially, Igbos, will begin their traditional exodus from all parts of the world to their communities to perform pilgrimages of sorts, to reconnect with their umbilical cords

The yearly visits have become, more or less, a ritual, traceable to time immemorial, before the creation of Nigeria and before the first celebration of Christmas in Badagry, Lagos, 181 years ago.

Christmas in Badagry was the first in history to be marked in the territory that later became Nigeria in 1914, after the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates by the colonialists.

Two West European Missionaries, Reverend Thomas Birch Freeman, a pioneer Methodist Missionary and Reverend Henry Townsend, his Anglican counterpart , were said to have organised the historic Christmas for the earliest freed slaves and some newly converted locals on December, 25, 1842.

Christmas is celebrated widely in the world to mark the birth of Jesus Christ whom Christians believe, is the son of God. It is a period they use to particularly appreciate God for sending His only son to die to save humanity from sin.

But for the Igbos, Christmas, or, these end-of- year visits, means a lot more. After a year or two of sojourning in far-away lands, they find it difficult to resist the urge to return to their homeland.

Like mechanical vehicles, they drive home to refuel with energy and inspiration, from their ancestral filling stations, to strengthen their entrepreneurial acumen and brother’s- keeper spirit.

This home-coming, is so significant for many reasons among which are: family reunions, search for marriage mates and celebrations of marriages, rest from the hustles and bustles of the year and commemoration of festivals coloured with masquerades and dances .

In addition, it has recently, become a veritable season to organise and launch community development programmes and projects. In short, activities in Igbo communities, at Christmas, turn into carnivals for various reasons considered too important to be missed by any “Nwafo,” true Igboman.

Unfortunately, not so much any more from the recent past. The lure to spend Christmas at home, has lately become weak, primarily because of bad roads and insecurity.

Obviously, road, as a major infrastructure, facilitates these movements. Good roads help to improve citizens’ quality of life and greases economic activities. The Igbos, more than any group in Nigeria, take these advantages home every Yuletide.

But in their current dilapidated and worn-out condition, roads to and in the South East, have become very difficult and challenging to use. Some of them have become near impassable at several points, thereby, negating these benefits.

Consequently, travels to destinations now take three to four times their normal durations. Vehicles get knocked and damaged; sometimes, abandoned in the middle of nowhere, to the mercy of robbers, bandits and terrorists.

For instance a journey to Umuahia from Abuja, a distance of about 700 kilometers, which would normally take nine and half hours, now takes about 14 to 16 hours, depending on the type of car used.

The increased wave of insecurity occasioned by clashes between sponsored non-state actors and federal and state security agencies is another reason going home at Christmas and embarking on such end-of-year visits, have become less attractive and a risky venture.

Considering other benefits of good roads which include: improved connectivity between other parts of the world and homeland, attraction and repatriation of investments, free flow of products and services as well, as, increased economic stability and quality of life , the call for the rehabilitation, reconstruction and construction of strong, paved roads to the east, can therefore, not be overemphasised.

Their rehabilitation, will consequently go a long way in restituting the confidence and desire of Igbos to revive their waning homeland spirit.

It is in this light that the appointment of Senator, Chief Nweze Umahi, as the Minister of works by President Bola Tinubu, has ignited hopes of redemption among the Igbos, nay, Easterners, that Christmas 2023, may be be a turning point for their demoralised homeland spirit.

Chief Umahi, himself, a core Igboman and an astute politician was a former Governor of Ebonyi State. His deployment to the works ministry by President Bola Tinubu, is an absolute testimony to his transformation of Ebonyi into a modern state through the provision of infrastructure in various departments of that state’s economy.

Any wonder, then, his appointment has raised the hopes of many Igbos and a euphoria for the revival of the mass return.

As a key agent of Mr President’s “Renewed Hope” mantra and the first Igboman in recent history to be appointed to the portfolio, the big question many Igbos are asking is: “will the roads leading to and in the east, be built now, that our son is in charge or will he leave them in their current ruinous and parlous state?

The Honourable Minister, is aware of the state of the roads in the South East, as well as other parts of the country. He is also aware of the expectations of his kinsmen to make a difference in his administration of road infrastructure in the region this time around.

For instance , at one of his meetings with Contractors handling roads, in the six geo-political zones in the country, the thoroughbred structural engineer, admitted as much.

He was quoted as saying: “I shed tears for the kind of hardships our people are enduring. I travelled through the roads myself and I was brought to tears by the pain our people are experiencing… I was glad that I experienced the hardships firsthand.”

At another meeting, where he got emotional, he added, that there was no evidence of good roads in the South East.

His other statements that “we will get it right. The time to do a good job is here. If you were doing a bad job before, this period is not for you. We must work 24 hours to do a good and acceptable construction that will last,” evidence his strong commitment to deliver on his mandate.

The Federal government recently allocated four hundred billion naira (N400billion), for roads and infrastructure in the 2023 supplementary budget, but the Minister says over seven trillion naira,(N7trn), will be needed to reconstruct South Eastern roads.

The – Enugu- Abakaliki- Ogoja, and the Amawbia – Ekwulobia – Nnokwa roads, are among the 20 road construction projects across the six geo- political zones recently billed for dualization at he cost of fifty- billion naira(N58 billion) naira, while sources at the Federal ministry of works add that eight billion, four hundred million naira(N8.4billion), has been allocated to the rehabilitation of highways in the South East.

Additional statements made and actions taken by the Minister on the roads, seem to be thawing the doubts in the minds of South Easterners and reassuring them that the roads will be built.

For example, while inspecting the state of the roads, he directed contractors handling road projects in the region, to redesign them and to use concrete to complete the remaining dilapidated sections.

Again, , the prompt attention the Minister gave to the collapsed fly-over bridge at the Enugu end of the Enugu- Port Harcourt expressway is another indicator that he will rise up to the expectations of the people of the South -East.

It demonstrated his sensitivity to the pains users of the road which links Rivers, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Edo states would have experienced if they dared travel the route this December in its damaged state.

Aready, palliative work has begun on the bridge. Full reconstruction of both of its lanes has been slated for the middle of December.

Following the development, an elated Governor of Enugu state, Dr. Peter Mbah praised Chief Umahi for quickly mobilising for the repair of the failed bridge immediately it collapsed.

The Governor, recalled that the Minister visited the bridge within 48 hours of its failure, to demonstrate his preparedness to walk his talk in respect of building and reconstructing eastern roads.

Bad roads have been the major worry of Igbos since the end of the civil war. Major arteries destroyed during the unfortunate conflict have remained so, more than 60 years after the war.

It is one of the major reasons Igbos feel marginalised and have not trusted the leaderships of the Central governments since the return to civilian rule in 1999.

Some political analysts have propounded that President Bola Tinubu, appointed an Igbo to the prominent ministry of works as a strategy to win the confidence and support of the Igbos, who barely voted for him in this years general elections.

There is little doubt that if roads in the South East are rehabilitated, reconstructed and constructed by the Tinubu administration, many Igbos will review their assessment and perception of Mr. President and the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Until then, the question in the hearts and mouths of many Easterners will remain ” Will Umahi mar, or, make our roads?”

Uwandu, foremost journalist, senior citizen, wrote from Abuja

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US indictment of security agencies in terrorist attacks makes sense – Afenifere

Published

1 day ago

May 28, 2026

Whirlwindnews

Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, seems to find merit in the damning verdict of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), accusing security agencies in Nigeria of complicity in the deluge of terrorist attacks in the country.

Jare Ajayi, National Secretary of the group, in agreeing with the position, posited on Wednesday: “This is because of the strong belief that the nature of terrorism bedeviling Nigeria would not be festering for this long without complicity from some powerful quarters.”

Though he acknowledged the determination of some patriotic operatives and government to stem the tide, he posited how difficult it was to believe that the activities of the terrorists would continue to thrive without active connivance.

Hear him: “With the vows by the President and top security officers, one has the feeling that the government is determined to end terrorism in Nigeria. When President Bola Tinubu appointed General Christopher Musa, (retd), as Minister of Defence, we had a lot of hope that within months, a total stop would be put to terrorism and banditry in the country.

“Unfortunately, there seems to be a spike, rather than reduction. The reason for this could be rooted in sabotage and complicity from within and from without. This tends to buttress the alarm raised by the US Commission.”

Stressing how the organisation been consistently calling the attention of authorities to areas that needed be looked into he maintained that these included politicians, who could be complicit in promoting the urgly situation.

Citing the recent comments by Godswill Akpabio, Senate President, who pointed in the same direction, Ajayi stated that no matter how unpalatable the position of the US body could be: “It is very important not to dismiss it but to use it a beacon with which to comb all areas.”

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Yes, we did it! *Mark hails ADC members for delivering on democracy

Published

1 day ago

May 28, 2026

Whirlwindnews

“Many people doubted us. Some dismissed us. Others predicted confusion, division, and even outright collapse. But you stood firm. You kept faith with the ADC. And today, because of your commitment, our party stands taller, stronger, and more united.”

With these words, David Mark, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday’s night showered praises on members for conducting what he considered a flawless presidential primary election to choose its candidate for the 2027 election.

Mark, Senate President from 2007 to 2015, his audience at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, that by the outcome, the party had demonstrated that democracy and political competition could still thrive in Nigeria without crisis or division.

Regardless of the rejection of the result of the exercise by Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), who contested in the exercise, the former Chairman of the National Assembly, was still upbeat about its outcome.

Atiku Abubakar, Vice President between 1999 and 2007, had emerged winner of the process that took place across Nigeria from Monday till Wednesday, when the result was eventually announced.

The declared result showed that the former VP who would be running for the nation’s number one job for a record seven times came tops with Atiku 1,846,370, to Amaechi’s 504,117 and Hayat-Deen’s 177,120. Total votes cast in the election: 2,546,457 in the 3,113,599 tally.

Mark, who officially presented the ADC flag to Atiku as the party’s presidential standard-bearer, was emphatic that the exercise was not merely about producing a presidential candidate but about proving that internal democracy could still function effectively in the country.

Hear him: “Today is not just about announcing a presidential candidate. Today is also about proving a point to Nigeria and to Nigerians. It is about proving that democracy can still work.

“Proving that political competition does not have to become political warfare. That a party can organise itself around principles instead of personalities. This event has shown that in a season of deep national anxiety, a bright future is still possible.”

Stressing that had doubted the party’s ability to conduct a peaceful and credible primary, with some predicting division and collapse within the ADC, he praised members of the Presidential Screening Committee and Presidential Primary Election Committee for what he described as their professionalism and commitment to fairness despite pressure surrounding the exercise.

“In the face of enormous pressure, logistical complexity, and intense national attention, they carried out their responsibilities with courage, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to fairness and transparency. The conduct of the primary has strengthened confidence in the party and its democratic process.

“Their work has strengthened the credibility of this exercise and reinforced the confidence of our members and the Nigerian people in the integrity of the African Democratic Congress.

“It is important to mention that we are the only political party to have three strong aspirants contest for the presidential ticket. This alone makes the ADC unique in its deep commitment to democracy and democratic practices.

“By subjecting themselves to this process, they did not merely contest an election. They strengthened democracy. And despite efforts in some quarters to create uncertainty and tension, they remained committed to this process and to the ideals of this party,” he added.

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Otti names new bus terminal after FUTO VC, who saved his 2023 mandate

Published

1 day ago

May 28, 2026

Whirlwindnews

For Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, the first female Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), it was another day of glory, as Alex Otti, Governor of Abia laid out another red carpet for her in lieu of her starling performance in the 2023 governorship election in the state.

The university don, was the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who was nationally recognised for standing her ground against forces that reportedly tried to skew the process, leading to the emergence of Otti as governor.

Since then, she had received several recognitions including from the governor and other bodies, including her own students at FUTO, who gave her a heroic welcome upon the conclusion of her INEC task – the first and only one to be so accorded in Nigeria.

Wednesday’s recognition came through the naming of the newly inaugurated Umuahia Central Bus Terminal, a multimodal transport facility in the state capital after her, by the governor, who said it was in recognition of her role in that exercise.

Otti, who stressed that the decision was informed by her act of courage, integrity and commitment to truth, said: “This terminal has been named after Professor Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, the courageous INEC returning officer who demonstrated unflinching integrity in the discharge of her duties during a high-stakes election assignment here in Abia.”

The governor, while stating that the honour was not limited to don alone but symbolised all individuals who resisted electoral manipulation added: “In 2023, through her courageous disposition of standing firmly by the truth… she reminded us that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results by simply saying no.

“So she’s just a representative of all of you—INEC staff who never bent, party officials who didn’t give in, security agencies… people who said no to intimidation.”

Stressing that the state had moved beyond basic infrastructure delivery to building an integrated transport system, he said: “The days of playing small is over. We shall no longer confine ourselves to the margins.”

He explained that the terminal was designed to accommodate over 340 buses and would improve accessibility, safety and efficiency in urban transport operations, adding that it would be supported by electric bus services, with 20 already in operation, while additional units are expected in phases.

“Services will keep improving as more buses are delivered… and you can tell with accuracy when a particular bus will arrive and depart,” he said.

He urged residents to protect the facility and support government efforts by maintaining order and paying taxes, warning against vandalism, waste disposal violations and other practices that could undermine the project, stressing that offenders would face sanctions.

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