'IHUMUDUMU STREET' IS A MAJOR HIGH STREET IN EKPOMA CENTRAL, EDO STATE. EKPOMA IS WIDELY KNOWN FOR THE FAMOUS UNIVERSITY, WHICH BOASTS OF HAVING THE BEST LAW DEPARTMENT OF ANY UNIVERSITY IN AFRICA. DOWN THE ROAD FROM EKPOMA IS IRUEKPEN, THE COUNTRY HOME OF LATE STELLA OBASANJO, WIFE OF EX-PRESIDENT OBASANJO.
I RECENTLY HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF TRAVELING THROUGH THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE STREET KNOWN AS 'IHUMUDUMU STREET', AND WAS SHOCKED BEYOND WORDS. FOR A STREET WHICH HOUSES THE TOWN'S MAJOR BANKS LIKE GTB, FIDELITY, AND THE REST, IT WAS NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT. IT WAS A GHETTO, TO SAY THE LEAST.
ORDINARILY IT SHOULD BE A THING OF PRIDE TO HAVE YOUR CHILD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EKPOMA. BUT THE SAD AND SHABBY LOOK OF THIS EROSION-GUTTED STREET, PLUS THE HORRENDOUS FILTH MADE ME THANK GOD FOR NOT HAVING A CHILD AT THAT UNIVERSITY. IT WAS BAD ENOUGH STRUGGLING WITH THE 'ROAD-RATS' (OKADAS) WHO STRUGGLED TO MAKE THEIR WAYS THROUGH A HITHERTO TARRED ROAD THAT NOW LOOKS LIKE LAGOS BAR-BEACH. I PERSONALLY WITNESSED AN OKADA ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM THE SAND-RIDDLED ROAD. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE VICTIMS (PASSENGERS) WERE STUDENTS. IT IS NOTHING BUT A MONUMENTAL DISGRACE, CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVED MUST BE CASHING IN A WHOLE LOT OF REVENUE FROM THE STREAMING POPULATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THAT MISERABLE TOWN. WORSE STILL, MY HEART GOES TO THE POOR LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE FACED WITH THIS 'EMERGENCY COMMERCIALIZATION' OF THEIR 'VILLAGE', WHICH THEY WERE NOT PREPARED FOR.
BOTTOM LINE IS BAD LEADERSHIP. THE FIRST THING THAT STRUCK ME WAS THAT THE SO-CALLED LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMAN...WHOEVER HE IS...MUST BE REMOVED, FIRED, SACKED...CALL IT ANYTHING. HE IS COMPLETELY USELESS. FOR A TOWN WITH SUCH GREAT POTENTIALS, LOTS MORE NEED TO BE DONE. WHERE IS ALL THAT MONEY GOING? IT IS LUDICROUS!!! IF NIGERIA IS TO EXPERIENCE REAL CHANGE, THEN WE MUST START CHANGING SUCH LEADERS.
PLEASE VISIT EKPOMA TOWN, AND TELL ME IF I AM LYING. THE PEOPLE OF EKPOMA MUST BE IN A 'BAD STATE OF MIND' !!! I AM STILL TRAUMATIZED BY MY EXPERIENCE.
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