Asaba Cries In Distress!

Asaba, known as Ahaba Ibokwe, is the beautiful city located at the western edge of the River Niger. According to history, Asaba was once the capital of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. This historic city hosted the Royal Niger Company, established by Colonial British authorities to promote trade and exportation of goods to England. 

Nnebisi road, Asaba, by the High Court

Since 1991 when it became the capital city of Delta state, Asaba grew from a small serene beautiful town of hospitable people, to a population of about over half a million and experienced some level of infrastructural development. 

Asaba Mall

Inter-Bau Junction fly-over bridge, Asaba

Entrance into Asaba from the Edo state axis was once a 'sight to behold'. With Solar Energy powered street lights which ran all the way from neibouring Izele- Azagba. The current heartbreaking state of this 'once-upon-a-time' beautiful city, can be told as a tale of perhaps "the old is better". Instead of the state administrations building to beat their predecessor's developmental records, the reverse seems to be the case. From the look of things, truth be told, the James Ibori administration, though highly criticized for corruption, seems to be the best the city of Asaba, if not the whole of Delta State yet had. As at Thursday, 22nd June, 2017, at about 7:25pm, the fascinating that welcomes one on arrival into the city, is greeted instead by total darkness. A couple of lights at the runway of the city Airport, confirmed that the airport is still functional. 

Dark state of Asaba express-way, by Sumit Junction

From the darkness, thanks to the state's electricity supplying company, doing what they know best (ensuring darkness), to bad roads of almost all streets off the major Nnebisi and Sumit roads, accompanied by flood. It was observed that the Sumit road has no drainage system, how on earth is a major road constructed without a drainage, I wonder.

Another noticeably regrettable sight is the deploring state of the township stadium. It is rather shameful that this stadium, which was in a much better state over 20-years-ago, when Asaba was only a Local Government Head-quarters, is allowed to degenerate to this state. 

See Pictures below:

obviously an abandoned project

  

A visit to this "capital-city" will shock first time visitors, or one who has not visited in a long time, and anticipated to see more. It costs absolutely nothing other than determination and devotion to decide to channel the state's funds towards ensuring accessible roads with good drainage system, facilities  in our infrastructures, not only in the state capital, but replicated all over the state. This is do-able, majority of the people in the corridors of power travel to Dubai, the United States of America, Canada, Europe and other "developed" countries at the lightest excuse(s) of- medical concerns, education, childbirths, attending weddings, naming ceremonies, summer vacations, forums, seminars and meetings, etc. We travel, spend billions of 'hard-currencies' to further enrich the treasury of the wealthy nations, while our home-land languish in penury.  Why cant we replicate the things we enjoy in the developed countries here, in our home, where we belong. 

This publication is aimed at shedding some light, into issues that needs to be redressed, so that appropriate authorities can wake up from their slumber and do the work they were voted into power for, with the available funds/ allocations and human resources. 

Like late Smart Williams sang, "i' do-kwa ba village yi, osuso o'bibi" (developing your village, makes it pleasant to live in). People visit or pass through this town...they see this situation. A good name is the best legacy any man, organisation or administration can leave behind. We can do better than this.