If there is any part of Nigeria President Buhari showed the most disdain, it is the Southeast region. Without mincing words, Buhari left no one in doubt at the inception of his administration as to the frosty relations existing between him and the Igbos.
The Southeast region didn’t do much to love or appreciate his style of politics then. And to the Southeast region, Buhari made one of his famous commentaries of “95% voters and 5% “wailers.” This probably gave birth to Femi Adesina’s description of the “wailers” against a majority of “hailers.”
However, as fate would have it, just a few days to the end of his administration, the same President Muhammadu Buhari is gifting this region which he so ‘dislikes’ one Super Infrastructure that will graciously outlive five generations – The Second Niger Bridge!
Measuring over 10.5km and costing more than 400 billion naira, the Second Niger Bridge is the single biggest infrastructural project of the Buhari administration. It’s so huge that it crisscrosses two states and connects two regions.
The bridge overlooks Onitsha and Asaba while saving travel time by almost 2 hours. With its commissioning today, so many Nigerians may never have any business with Onitsha again; except one is specifically visiting the place.
In deciphering Buhari’s dual nature towards the Southeast and the Igbos, one is confused as to why he refused to allow them to be part of his government, yet, bequeaths to them one of the best ‘gifts’ ever. Yes, all Nigerians are going to benefit from the bridge but the host region stands to gain the most.
It will open up the Southeast for more significant investment opportunities and make movement from and to the region less cumbersome. It’s one infrastructure that would facilitate rapid growth and development of other sectors. The value of real estate within the connecting villages will rise astronomically and their capacity to invest and recoup quickly is further enhanced with the opening of this gigantic bridge.
As we bid the outgoing president farewell, I hope to see the next president do better in terms of inter-ethnic relations. Nigeria is too divided to have a president that acts aloofly to some select tribes and religions.
Read Also: As President Buhari Commissions Seven Legacy Projects
President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs to up his game if he doesn’t want Nigeria to divide any further under his leadership. The current bloodletting in several parts of the North-central and Southeast needs to be addressed. No tribe or region should be treated as second-class citizens, it will never help Nigeria’s security situation.
SCRIPT CREDIT: Facebook.com / Uzogara Tobechukwu
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