BIAFRANS AS ORIGINAL SUFFER HEAD
............ .............................. .................
ATHENS CALLING
BY Nnamdi OBODOECHI
a.k.a
Nwa Biafra
In
Athens, Greece
SUNRISE
NEWSPAPER on COLUMN VOL.2 NO 3, 2004
There
is no gainsaying that the Eastern part of Nigeria (Biafra) could be define as
an area without functional infrastructure which the citizens and governments past and present could be proud of. Even simple things like good roads,
electricity and good drinking water, which are taken for granted in other
places, are lacking. Ridiculously, until lately there was no zonal police
command in the whole of Igbo land, meaning that there was no security of lives
and property in much of the East. The Federal Government of Nigeria left the
Igbos behind without taking appropriate care of their lives and property!
Needless
to say, there is only one Federal Government-built airport in Igboland while it
has not bothered to provide the people with an aerodrome or stadium-the ones we
have were built by individual efforts. In most cases, when the federal
authorities decide to undertake projects in the East, such projects are not
followed to a logical conclusion. An example is second Niger Bridge / wharf at
Onitsha, the contract of which was awarded during Shagari regime over 20 years
ago. Up till now, the projects yet to see the light of day.
The
surprising thing is that when it comes to the turn of the East, the Federal
Government would do “eyes right” from reputable contractors like Julius Berger
and award the contract to some “big men or powerful contractors” from the East.
In the end, such half baked and fraudulent contractors leave the work undone,
preferring, instead, to embezzle the money paid to them for the execution of
the contracts. The most unfortunate thing is that these contracts are hardly
monitored and punishment not meted out to the erring contractors because they
allegedly share the money with the powerful men who awarded the contracts.
Since
charity begins at home, don’t blame me if I say that what is happening in
Anambra State pains me most, as an indigene of Anambra. I am saddened by the deplorable
condition of roads in the state, especially the major road that runs from Niger
bridge Head in Onitsha to Owerri, Imo State. To say the least, this very important
road has for long been left as a death trap, which is rather unfortunate. If I may
ask, does it mean that the lives of those who use this stretch of road do not
mean anything to the federal Government? The Oba Airport project which could
have served as an alternative as well as reduce stress on this road has been
abandoned, thus compounding the agony of the Easterners.
I
am calling on the Nigerian Government to immediately do something about this
notorious road before we all perish. At the same time, the government should
get serious with the Oba Airport project. Its failure to do this can only serve
to strengthen our resolve to achieve our dream nation of Biafra soonest.
“The Nigerian Government should immediately
do something about the notorious Onitsha-Owerri road before we all perish. At the
same time, the government should get serious with the Oba Airport project. Its failure
to do this can only serve to strengthen our resolve to achieve our dream nation
of Biafra soonest.’’
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