Nigeria is gradually becoming a country where maintenance culture is not only a luxury but one where people live either in denial of their environment or nonchalant about the situations and circumstances that would endanger their lives.
Oftentimes we feel so entitled, removing a stick that stands on our way becomes a challenge,waiting for the next person or the government to move it of our pathway.
Until we begin to see life as one that would be optimally lived and enjoyed through individual cooperation, Government help and Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR) We will continue to suffer avoidable hazards and perhaps engulfed by tiny drops that were allowed to form an ocean.
This if nothing is done, and fast too will soon be the gory tale and sad reality of the residents of Karmo in Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
Karmo is one of the suburbs in FCT between life Camp and Gwagwa. Though a suburb, it hosts many estates with fine structures and big Companies residences. Between A.A Rano Oil and Julius Berger construction company quarters is a big gully, widening by day. What looks like a big gully, eating into the major road started like a small pot hole.Today the road is under severe threat of erosion and would in a matter of weeks cave in.
Not too long very close to Old Karmo beside imprest quarters, some Okada and Tricycle riders were carried by a heavy flood into that water canal. Severally that spot has been a death trap, drowning people, sadly nobody( individuals , Corporate bodies or government, ) deemed it fit to do something to make that spot less a threat to life.
Those living in Karmo would relate with these spots. There are many other dangerous spots on that axis that one can imagine are left unrepaired.
There is another dangerous spot before Rain oil fuel station,leading to Agura quarters, the culvert there is damaged and the opening on it too deep to cause mishap.
What worries me is the nonchalant attitude of residents around these areas. They move around, drive through such dangerous spots in their cars, wind up under heavy air condition, expecting miracle to happen.
As I call the attention of the relevant government agencies and institutions to expedite action in repairing both the near dilapidating road and the erosion threatened spots, individuals and companies living and operating their businesses around Karmo axis can either do a stop gap maintaince or completely repair them under Corporate social responsibility initiative.
Let us learn to be responsible and responsive to the needs and challenges of our environment that would be a threat to our lives.
I challenge all us with the words of Albert Schweitzer “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know, the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve”.
If the government refuses to serve us, we can serve ourselves not only to be happy but to ensure that we don’t become endangered species
Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
07068420002
