OJI RIVER TRAILER ACCIDENTS: BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE…
Death is always defined by scientists as a sure end to every living thing. The clerics also see it as a home call to eternal glory- for the righteous ones. And for me, Death is simply a departure of life; seizure of breath, and complete disappearance of a living person. Other versions have tried to distinguish death into TIMELY and UNTIMELY. And of great importance and concern is the UNTIMELY aspect of death; which attracts more fear, tears, grieve, sorrow and sometimes degenerate to more deaths (if unchecked). So many factors are responsible for UNTIMELY DEATH in our society today, subjecting so many families to untold hardships, sorrows and mental challenges. And the effects grow fatter in the presence of neglect and insensitivity to the bereaved family and friends.
OJI RIVER urban, have variously been subjected to this type of condition in the space of three years now- sequel to the frequent road accidents caused by trailer drivers and other heavy trucks that plights the road. The condition of the expected urban area grew worse with the total decay of the Enugu –Onitsha Expressway, subjecting all the road users to resort to the old road which cuts across the urban town of Oji River. And the consequences have turned to a weekly harvest of innocent souls in OJI RIVER.
To make the case worse is the neglect and insensitivity of our good leaders to our plight. We were forced to suggest that it was either in the developmental agenda of the present Government to allow for depopulation of the urban area as to achieve a particular number of people to impact on; or else, that the truck drivers are in agreements with stakeholders to ensure a speedy depopulation of OJI RIVER urban area to a particular size and number. If not for this, I wonder why any sensitive government should keep such mute over the frequent and alarming demise of its citizenry, and still come out to tell us that we are one. It is either that we are being ignored or that our lives are not worth sparing. Many families have been subjected to everlasting mourning, and some have resorted to sinking in sorrows, while our good leaders were very comfortable in their protected zones.
Trailer accident have claimed a minimum of three lives and maximum of fifteen lives on each occurrence, and the frequency has recently grown to a monthly bases, yet the state government have not shown concern that OJI RIVER is also in Enugu State. Never in any occurrence have the Governor or his numerous aides come to our rescue or even issued a statement; making us to believe strongly that it’s a premeditated measure or else a total neglect and abandonment. Before I lament louder, let me also add that “it could be that the political stakeholder from Oji River too have lost their voices to their normal selfish desire or else have reverted to the characteristics of DEAF,DUMB,HANDICAPPED and LEPPERS ( which OJI RIVER was formally known for). I stand to be corrected that there is no reason why OJI URBAN people should be allowed this type of peril in the presence of our numerous political appointees, if not for the reason mentioned above.
The youths, aged and the infants in OJI RIVER now goes out with high percentage of uncertainty of returning home alive as the trend keeps increasing. Even in their immediate environment. Going to church, school, offices, shops and market is now seen as a journey of lucky return as nobody knows who will be the next victim of the accidents.
The causes of the accidents are very clear as the road is the only safe route connecting Enugu to Anambra State; the traffic became very high. And sequel to the sloppy hills connecting Oji River to UDI, break failures of heavy trucks are inevitable. We are not excluding reckless driving and over speeding a key factor to the aforementioned. The result of these aforementioned factors takes it pounds on the lives of the innocent people of OJI RIVER. And our question is “when shall this end??”; when shall they stop killing us?; when shall we stop burying our brothers and sisters untimely? When shall the Government come to our rescue...Or are they waiting for us to all die and perish without anybody asking question?
My take is that the Government of Enugu state will declare state of emergency in Oji RIVER Urban and seek ways to save our lives now or never. If the political appointees/stakeholders from Oji River are lobbied to take positions and keep mute, I stand out to say that we need the sincere attention of the Government in OJI Urban. We need SPEED BREAKERS as a temporal measure to stop the accidents. The road needs to be expanded and pedestrian lanes constructed. The pot holes needs to be fixed immediately. Road safety signs are needed. And then the federal Government should as a matter of urgency fix and open the Enugu – Onitsha expressway. Only with these shall our lives be guaranteed in our motherland.
I BEG that the GOVERNOR OF Enugu state will come to rescue now, BEFORE IT WILL BE TOO LATE, and save us from this untimely deaths. More so that our political stakeholders will look at OJI RIVER beyond their monthly share of the “MONEY”; but also share of responsibilities. To whom much is given, much is expected. We respect and cherish the present Governor of Enugu State, but that at the long run, we are feeling rejected and dejected. If the Udi recent accident that claimed three lives could attract the presence of the Governor, how much more our weekly/monthly notorious premature harvest by similar accidents.
FROM : NWOKEABIA ONYEBUCHI MANAGER
07035075713.