Dear President Jonathan, It is with a heavy heart that I write this; and I will love it if you could just reflect on what I have to say.
This is actually about putting yourself in the shoes of the ordinary Nigerian. You claim to have been here before; I however do not think you are acting it thus far. At the rate at which you are going one is wont to think the I-had-no-shoes story was a ruse. A ploy to get the poor Nigerian to your side. Get the votes first and show your true self later.
I am guessing, in fact I am certain you must have heard about the recent accident at the Benin- Ore express way that claimed up to almost a hundred souls. Ordinary Nigerians who could not afford to fly like you and your cohorts. They all perished in pain and were not even found. They were burnt beyond recognition. We hear it was as a result of a busted tyre and all. There was no report of a word from you either (I sincerely hope there was).
Ever mistakenly put your hand in fire and removed it ala reflex Sir? You know that hurts real badly. Now picture your whole self burning, seeing death and knowing it’s the end. You will agree with me that even you do not wish your enemy that kind of death.
That’s a painful death. I do not even want to imagine that. Hmmmm, well I lost a friend in that accident. He was like a big brother to me. I totally am devastated. Put yourself in my shoes. Imagine if it was your friend . You recently lost a brother, so you must know how it feels to lose someone close. Imagine if your brother died as a result of negligence of let’s say a doctor.
Put yourself in the position of the family of those who died roasting in that inferno. Some of them, like this guy, were bread winners of their respective homes. Wives turn to widows all of a sudden. Children orphaned. He left three young children, the eldest being just three and a wife behind. It’s an aru(abomination)where I come from for the father to bury the son. That’s the lot of his poor old father. It’s too much to take. It gets worse knowing that this guy along with the rest that died in that accident died an unnecessary death. Death that was totally avoidable. He had dreams and aspirations, just like every other person that died in that accident. These are all gone with them.
It’s just so sad that that road has been a thorn in the flesh of the ordinary citizen SINCE I WAS BORN.I am a man now. To think that successive governments with plenty of resources have kept mum and watched that road claim so many lives you must agree with me is sad. When you became president, the belief in some quarters was that you will impact the lives of the ordinary Nigerian. We are yet to see that. We are suffering as well as living in fear. There is so much pain in this land.Man made disasters day in day out. There is absolutely nothing to cheer about. Do you know how it feels to learn about the average life span of a Nigerian being so low? Knowing you are not guaranteed a long life, not to talk of a good future? Avoidable accidents like this seem to buttress that fact.
We have had ministers build empires with the monies budgeted for that now infamous road. Knowing that some of them are still running things in government when they should be chilling in jail adds salt to the injury.We have had a Minister cry on that road after seeing firsthand the state of the road, declaring she was in fact unhappy at what she had seen and was very displeased that the road was allowed to degenerate to that level. That it was inhuman and unacceptable. She apologized and that was the last. Another minister during an inspection labeled the road the worst on the planet and one of the notorious in the world.
Believe me Mr President it is sickening that after all these emotive spectacles nothing is done to make that road better once and for all. Lives are still being lost on a large scale. What would it cost, Mr. President, to get that road and so many others in the same state all over the country fixed? Plying these roads is like the journey of the valley of the shadows of death. You wouldn’t understand.This not too much to ask for,Is it?
Does the FRSC need to be compelled to properly do its job? Yes .Does it need to strictly enforce laws that govern speed limits, road worthiness et al? Yes. The question however still is why always that road?
Remember you promised to fix that road before the expiration of your current term. We are still waiting and hoping you keep your word. Enough of the needless and avoidable loss of precious lives. Just get it over with.
I beg you in God’s name to put an end to this. This latest accident I pray, hastens whatever plans you have towards fixing that road. It is your chance to put your name in the history books.
May God grant the family of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss. May the dead rest in peace.
God bless Nigeria.
Yours Sincerely
Chiechefulam Ikebuiro
thalynxis@yahoo.ca