okwuahaba emma
____________ _________ _________ __
I had gone halfway into the construction of a story about Owerri, my new place
of abode, when a new bug of thought struck me. Yes, about the city of Owerri and
its alluring attributes. Its beautiful landscape typified by unending rolling
plains that stretches and stretches until it meets the bottom of the blue sky
somewhere far, faraway. About the lush green plains decorated with wide
boulevards well manicured. About is exotic buildings made possible by the class
conscious people of this city. The imposing new and stylish buildings
exclusively built, near the Concorde Hotel area called Akanchawa. A standard
plot of land there, I hear, sells for over forty-five million Naira.
Those new and Southern European-mimicked exotic buildings, which
make statement of opulence, located around and about the new Imo Housing Estate
known as Extension XA. A standard plot there, I hear, sells for nearly ten
million Naira. About a unique delicacy named Ofe Owerri (Owerri soup)
exhaustively eulogized in many folklores and music lyrics.
About the preponderance of hospitality business derived from the ability of its indigenes
to make good dishes; about the city of Owerri's serenity-drenched atmosphere;
about the ongoing dredging of River Nworie which like an overfed python you
could for a whole day as it flows unobtrusively and empties its whole content
into the Otamiri River and from there, down into the Atlantic Ocean. What a
beautiful waterfront the banks of this new and improved River would be up on
completion you wonder in delirious gaze. Above all, you reckon with Owerri's
relative attribute as a safe haven for those who want to run away from the
hustle and bustle of life as typified by what obtains in the surrounding
cacophonic cities of Aba, Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Onitsha and Enugu.
It is also a haven for writers, creative artistes, the home to Kanu Nwankwo, Genevieve
Nnaji and a horde of other Nollywood actors and actresses. To be sure, Owerri
has about five Degree awarding institutions located within walking distance from
one another. Owerri is now, my home. I live on a piece of it named Havensgate.
Yes, I was in my mind, paying tribute to this place fancifully and appropriately
called the capital of Igbo Heartland -a fine place to live and do business, east
of the Niger - when I came upon its newest enchanting vista. A city, which has
consistently, been voted the cleanest in Nigeria. Yes, and about its other
alluring and attracting vicissitudes which are not fit to publish (lest my wife
gets a fit) when suddenly, I came upon a new story line that I think would
please my editors and the reading public. Quickly, I crowded my previous lines
out in order to now, present you with this. The writer must be mad. Can't you
see for yourself?
Driving up Ugwu Orji on my way to Okigwe a few days ago, I came upon bulldozers,
earthmoving machines, graders, pay loaders, men in pink-colored uniforms, road
superintendents, surveyors and all manners of men involved in road construction.
It was a beehive. It quickly reminded me of similar activities that heralded the
construction of a similar road project at Cele Bus Stop in Lagos some years ago.
The endless hold ups that stretched into Oshodi. It was vintage Fashola. But
this is Owerri and this is, vintage Ohakim. When I looked deeper, I noticed that
a road which the previous day was occupied by mechanics and roadside vendors had
been torn open and apart. I looked further down to see that overnight, the
sprawling new road filled with red earth is the latest in Governor Ikedi
Ohakim's peculiar initiative to transform Owerri - the Imo State capital.
The workers were busy, scraping, mowing a road that had laid fallow since 2005
when I started coming into Owerri. Upon investigation I was told that Governor
Ikedi Ohakim is at it again. He wants to tear a new road which will connect Orji
town with Onitsha and Port Harcourt roads, thereby creating a by-pass that
inevitably would reduce expected traffic jam on the already crowded downtown
roads of Owerri city. This bypass which is captured in a fanciful self
explanatory billboard that gave a photo prototype of what the road would like on
completion depicts a new road encompassing a flyover and a road network that
would circle Owerri like a belt. It is the beginning of the Owerri new ring
road.
It made me remember one rainy Saturday morning in mid June 2010. That day,
residents our Owerri woke up to witness the worst traffic jam in the history of
the town. Reason: That faithful morning, the people of Julius Berger rudely
caused untold hardship on the people as they blocked some major roads, thereby
causing inexplicable diversions, without warning as they began to excavate
concrete slabs buried in one segment of the Owerri Port Harcourt Road. Because
nobody knew what was amiss, people reigned curses on the person of governor
Ohakim and his administration.
Over a pepper soup discussion that evening with people in my neighborhood who
ought to know, the argument went even fiercer. Ohakim is disturbing the lives of
his people. Ohakim is a destructive maniac. What is he doing tearing up a road
network that has done nothing to him? I was furious, blaming my pepper soups
mates that we Nigerians are imbued with the disdainful attribute of impatience.
Yes, there may be an emergency road reconstruction going on, but it did not ask
the people to stampede and drive against traffic thereby compounding a situation
that was already bad because of the newness of traffic diversion, which
actually, had caused an untold gridlock.
I admonished that understanding and a wait and see attitude should be the way to
go being ignorant myself about what was going on. I was sure that whatever
construction or reconstruction work that was going on would eventually be in the
best interest of the people. I was emboldened by my inner intuition. Sighting
Julius Berger (JB) earthmovers and machines at work further strengthened my
resolve.
This JB people, I reasoned, do not go to where nothing concrete was
happening or was about to happen. Julius Berger people are people of action.
They make Things Happen. Few days later, the statute of strength which adored
the colonially-designed roundabout at the frontage of Maria Assumpta Cathedral
was carefully moved and relocated to a smaller roundabout, along Sam Mbakwe
Avenue.
To cut long story short after those initial traffic congestions caused by the
frenetic staff of Julius Berger, I beg to report that the JB people have
finished their job. The road is now wider. I understand that the JB people had
to properly reposition the roundabout leading into Owerri, because work by
Julius Berger is about to resume on the Dualization of the Owerri-Port Harcourt
Road up to the boundary between Imo and Rivers State. Now, entrance into Owerri
either from Port Harcourt, or Onitsha or Aba is a spectacle. It is a cake walk.
The long delays we witnessed and that seemingly unendending traffic gridlock has
now given way to a smooth and unobtrusive ride into Owerri.
Lesson number one learned: No pain, No gain. To reconstruct, you must deconstruct.
As a frequent commentator on political happenings in the east and Nigeria, I had
on several occasions commented on the rapid method with which Governors Ohakim
and Fashola had taken the bulls by the horn in their respective ways of
repacking their individual states. While Governor Fashola's work seem to have
cut out for him, that of his friend, is not and should not be enviable at, all.
Imo is being built from the scratch.
Lagos used to be Nigeria's federal capital.
I had in a previous essay said that Governors Ikedi Ohakim and Raji Fashola are
men of similar destiny. That was two years ago, shortly after they were sworn in
as the governors of Imo and Lagos, respectively. Then, both men were locked in
what seemed like a race to outdo each other performance wise. When Fashola began
to deface Lagos in order to repair it, Ohakim embarked on what seemed an
anti-people policy, in order to reposition Imo. Then suddenly Fashola tore away.
Then there was a loll in Imo.
Now it is like a new dawn in Owerri and to large extent, Imo state. Since, the
middle of last month, Owerri had known no sleep. Day in day out, night in night
out Ohakim has marshaled out his team. They are busy tearing apart the whole
city. No part is spared. The Dualization of the Owerri Okigwe Road is almost
complete. The beautification plank is seen in motion as street lights, traffic
light, flower and tree planting are in furious gear - everywhere you go to in
Owerri. Every nook and cranny of the town is having its own share of renovation,
reconstruction and rejuvenation.
The machines are humming non-stop. An army of street cleaners modeled after what
is seen on the streets of Lagos, are now seen everywhere in Owerri, the capital
of Imo. Men and women are working tirelessly to open up this heartland of Igbo,
hitherto neglected. Looks like someone is egging Ohakim to overtake Fashola,
after all, competition should be the hallmark of Democracy. Prompting me to now
alert Fashola that Ohakim is close on his heels.
These two precious gifts to our 4th republic - one born in the East the other,
in the West of Nigeria. One is in his late forties, the other in his early
fifties. One, a Master of Business Administration holder, a seasoned
administrator and a Ph.D. candidate, the other a versatile lawyer who at a
tender age attained the highest home bred accolade in Law - the SAN. Both of
them, products of our local universities. One, UNILAG the other UNIBEN.
These men are visionaries no matter from what angle you looked at their achievements
so far. When I wrote about them the first time, I had opined that if the two men
were Americans, public opinion polls would have aided voters to urge their
respective political parties to draft them to run for the highest political
position in the land. If they belonged to the same party, either would be
president the other, a VP.
Unfortunately, it is not so here. Here is a land where mediocrity rules over
merit. Here is a land where offices are zoned based on tribe and or the highest
bidder. This is a land where the best is relegated to the background while
half-baked over-run the system in brazen arrogance and ugly display of wanton
ignorance. May I crave your indulgence to go to bed? My tired, my fingers are
quaking.
No comments:
Post a Comment