Nigeria is a nation of paradoxes. While the Federal Government dissipates energy and commits humongous resources running into tens of trillions of naira to the Lagos-Calabar coastal road estimated at N7.8 billion per kilometer by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, existing federal roads are collapsing rapidly.
In Benin-City, Edo State, all federal roads leading, to and out of the city including the Lagos-Benin Expressway, Benin-Auchi, Asaba-Benin-Onitsha and Benin-Sapele road, which and extension of the East-West road have all decapitated due to pressure of traffic as one of Nigeria’s major transportation hub is by land.
Commuters to the eastern, southern, western and northern parts of the country now spend nights and days in Benin, yet those who should take responsibility for such critical infrastructure are busy jumping from one political party to the other, as if that is what matters most.
Sadly, Governor Monday Okpebholo, whose domain suffers the impact of landlocked ancient city of Benin, busies himself with the 
endorsement politics of 2027, when greater matters of state lie unattended to. Commuters who ply the stated routes lament the losses they incur on daily basis, especially when it rains.
”Whenever it rains in Benin, we get stuck in all the roads leading to and from the city”, a commuter lamented, saying it looks as if the government is deliberately looking the other side, while the masses suffer. A commuter who left Onitsha on Thursday morning arrived Lagos at 11pm on Friday. Another one who left Lagos to Aba, Abia State arrived two days later. It’s that bad! So, how long are we going to continue like this?
Meanwhile, as roads decay and are left unattended, healthcare system suffers systemic rot, education is in disarray and basic utilities suffer utter neglect, the government pursues 2027 politics with presidential pardon for criminals. What a shame!
As the rot goes on, governors are on a defection spree as if their performance depends on their membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but they should be reminded that even the mighty empires of old crumbled and that no system lasts forever, no matter how men try.
While we pray to God Almighty to look upon Nigeria with mercy, we will continue to tell the truth to power in our quest to hold Nigerian politicians, who consistently fail leadership tests, accountable, knowing that no injustice lasts forever.
To Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri and his Enugu State counterpart, Peter Mbah our message is clear-good governance and sensitive leadership are not rooted in defection.
No matter what our politicians do, they should remember that there is something called posterity. There is hope for Nigeria. Enjoy the edition!
