14 November 2008
Whatever criteria one may adopt in assessing Nigeria's federal capital city, Abuja, there is this feeling of satisfaction. One cannot but help heave a sigh of relief that at least Nigerians can confidently showcase to the outer world a functioning city where some semblance of sanity reigns.
But if we compare Abuja with other capital cities around the world, the original concept as envisaged by Abuja's originators has been betrayed. For example, Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is no different from the cities of Jeddah, Medina, Mecca, Taif and Dammam, in terms of availability of basic infrastructure and economic opportunities. So citizens of any of the aforementioned Saudi cities have no business migrating to Riyadh en-masse. The same situation is true of most of the capital cities of the developed and developing nations.
In contradistinction, the Nigerian situation is unfortunately different, as everything seems to be disproportionately over-concentrated in the capital city of Abuja to the detriment of other Nigerian cities such that many hard working citizens who choose to live in the countryside have now become second class citizens in their own country. Thus, in the rat-race to partake in the sharing of the manna mistakenly assumed to be available in the FCT, the people albeit justifiably have since began to massively migrate from their neglected towns and villages across the country to Abuja in anticipation of getting the elusive golden fleece.
The pertinent question is whether this scenario, which seeks to encourage the over 150 million Nigerians to migrate to Abuja, is deliberate or not?
Now, among the many problems associated with the deliberately induced population explosions in the capital city, like the dearth of affordable houses, daily migration to and from the city center, has made the hitherto serene city to metamorphose into a place of frequent road accidents. No day passes without the city recording one fatal road accident or the other. At the risk of exaggerating the scenario, the frequency of the accidents recorded on daily basis is so alarming that, in addition to being the nation's center of unity, Abuja has now carved another niche for itself as the center of deadly accidents. This has forced regular visitors and residents to always be on the lookout in order not to be caught off-guard.
Indeed, on closer observation, most of the accidents recorded were the result of over-speeding, impatience, recklessness and good-for-nothing bigmanism. Every road user feels too big to respect the rights of other motorist and in his/her foolishness and warped ego, expects others to accord him/her the same right of passage that he /her vehemently and unjustifiably denied others. Perhaps the greatest culprits are the ubiquitous Abuja commercial motorcyclists popularly known as 'okada', who in their desperation to accumulate as much money as possible often risked their lives and those of others.
And of the many dark spots in the capital city, the Airport road stands out as the most dangerous. This may partly be due to the endless retinues of the so-called big-men who have been plying the road in supersonic speed, unmindful of other road users. The road in question has now practically become a death trap such that precious souls are daily being wasted. And those who have temporary accommodations along the route are in constant fear of the unknown.
Finally, with the yuletide around the corner, it becomes pertinent to admonish all the relevant agencies like the road safety, VIO and the police to please wake up and device new measures to permanently and adequately address the ugly scenario.
Kabiru Inuwa Tsakuwa, Hausawa Bawo Road (Sabon Titi), Kano.
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