Senator Iroegbu
9 July 2009
Lagos — On the memorial of the death of a young boy, who lost his life while crossing one of the paved Abuja streets on his way to school, Senator Iroegbu writes on the agony of a father who also lost his wife as a result of the kid's untimely death
"It could have been your child, and it could have been mine," was the exclamation of a concerned mother who witnessed the painful loss of another talented life in the ever busy Nnamdi Azikiwe Express Way, Abuja.
It is over a year since Master Great Ehimen Onyekachukwu died on a fatal road accident that fractured his neck bones and spinal cord. But the excruciating pain of that particular incident and its spiral effect has been devastating to the family.
On that fateful day, Tuesday, June 24, 2008, the ever busy Finance Junction, Wuye along the Nnamdi Azikiwe was characterised by parked and slow pace vehicles, and movement of people at a particular spot that wore a toga of the usual accident scene, and alas, there had been an accident where a little six year old boy, one Master Great had been hit by on rushing vehicle.
About eight school children who were very fortunate to have survived another day; were wailing not far away from the accident spot and their account was that whilst they were crossing the road, one of them was hit by a vehicle. In what has become a frequent occurrence in the smooth sailing Abuja streets, where accident has become a second nature to commuters who either lack basic knowledge of traffic rules or are simply excited by the rare privilege of plying such amazing roads that are in stark contrast to what they are used to in their various villages, towns and communities.
There is no doubt that the demise of Master Great was a bitter pill for his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Onyekachukwu, who had just relocated to Abuja from Lagos on January, 2008 because the mother could not survive the trauma of the sudden loss of a son. She died six months afterwards, leaving a heartbroken husband who has to helplessly suffer the consequence of government negligence and excessive reckless driving; losing a beloved wife and son same year.
Weeping uncontrollably, Mr. Onyekachukwu told THISDAY that his late son who was born April 2, 2002 was a unique child to him. "He is of those children that did not crawl before they started walking. He was a talented and artistic child who loves drawing; he drew Ronaldinho because he loves Barca. So I was very close to him and took keen interest in his works. He could draw you as you are seated. I was planning to enroll him in Pepsi Academy because he loves football, he is a gifted child.
"His death was a turning point because his mother (a staff nurse with Pacesetters Academy, Abuja) died from the shocking impact of his death. Her pregnant mother gave up when she discovered after scanning that her unborn child is a baby girl, she screamed and never recovered.
She died on December 18, 2008. I must blame myself for her death, assuming I knew I wouldn't have allowed her to undergo that scanning since she was expecting another boy to replace Great, she was always calling Great," he sobbed.
Such is the tragedy that has befallen once happy family that came to Abuja in search of greener pastures, and no matter the amount of crying and lamentation the deed has been done but the lesson ought and must be learned because his death is one out of so many road accidents that occur in Abuja on daily basis resulting to loss of lives and properties coupled with its devastating effect on families and loved ones.
Unfortunately, the reality is that government and concerned agencies like the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) have done little or nothing to curb the rapid increase in road accidents that takes place in Abuja city.
For example, there is no attempt currently to build a flyover, pedestrian bridge or Zebra crossing at that particular junction that connects Wuse and Wuye districts via the wide and ever busy Nnamdi Azikiwe Express Way, knowing quite well that the particular axis witnesses high level of human activities, especially school children who have to cross the four-lane road expressway five to six days in a week.
One of the eyewitnesses, Mrs. Ogo Tim-Menakaya, a lawyer who shared her thoughts with THISDAY noted that "we owe it to humanity to ensure that lives are saved by doing things right by being accountable to their duties.
"It must not necessarily be government alone, but the agencies like the FRSC, VIO, Police, and especially we individuals who drive and walk around without proper knowledge of road and traffic signs around," she said.
"I drive my kids to school everyday on these roads and it breaks my heart to see people especially young children struggling to cross these large express roads. Watching them cross the road, get into the gutter, climb out, cross the second road, get into the gutter once again, climb out, before running across the last road is a nightmare.
"It is especially heart-wrenching, watching them give each other 'high five' whenever they have successfully, narrowly escaped being hit by a vehicle. We as people owe it to ourselves and to the community, to agitate for urgent construction of the pedestrian bridges, speed breakers and whatever is appropriate on these roads.
"It is not right that we cruise along on these beautiful roads without sparing thought for the pedestrians, especially our young children who are forced to cross these roads daily to attend school. We can't build road and forget that there are pedestrians and therefore the need for pedestrian bridges.
"Each time I see Great I see one of my kids lying down, knowing fully well that it could have been me, and it could be also one of your children," she said.
Last June 24, made it exactly a year Great died, and since then life has never been the same for the family he left behind. His death is symbolic because it represents the plight of "our future generations, our chronic negligence, and pathetic lack of responsibility. All over the city of Abuja, across the 36 states of federation, late Master Great scenario is replicated and repeated over and over to the shame of a nation.
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