THE level of development and civilization of any nation is reflected on the quality of life of its people. Evidently, there are some indices that points to the fact that good governance is fast taking its firm roots and gain full expression in Edo State today.
The people are now genuinely feeling that they are unmistakably the object and subject of governance.
They are been directly impacted one way or the other especially at the grassroots.
During the past week, I took a ride in one of the Edo City Transport Seervice, ECTS bus called Comrade bus and I was thrilled to find out that the government has demonstrated in practical terms that the people should enjoy the dividend of democracy at least in the transportation sector.
A distance that usually cost N150 to N200 to some destinations by other transporters cost N50 and some routes are as low as N30 within the Benin metropolis by the Comrade bus and it is entirely free for students wearing uniform.
The management has made it convenient for passengers by using rechargeable cards thereby making transportation a pleasurable ride for the people who are mostly the less privileged in the society.
One remarkable observation I noticed which prompted this write-up was the show of love that exists amongst passengers in the bus. I closely saw that while in the bus, there was this comradeship and care for one’s neighbour that is being displayed especially when a fellow passenger’s recharge card has no credit. At this point you see people with enough credit struggling to come to the rescue of their neighbour.
This good will and show of love has continued to elicit my curiosity and I came to the conclusion that the so called less privileged persons are more compassionate than those who are opportune. Though they do not have much, but the little that they have, they are ready to give out, while it is the other way round for those who have and are very stingy. They will even want to take that which belongs to you to add to what they have.
While inside the Comrade bus, I also discovered they are very much appreciative of what the government is doing and you will hear them commending the government for providing this buses to move them to their various destinations. It is while in the bus you also hear all sorts of folk tales and juicy happenings around town.
There is this story of why residents of Benin City should ever be grateful to His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II for the reforms made so far in Benin City, especially the proscription of the Community Development Association’s CDA’s that hitherto made life unbearable for the people.
In some parts of the country especially in Anambra state, it was learnt that to die has become very expensive because the CDA in one of the community imposed N1m funeral levy on every bereaved family in the area before they could commence the funeral arrangement of their loved ones.
As a result of this trend, it was further gathered, that many families have abandoned their loved ones in the mortuaries for months because they are looking for the money which they regard as too high. They have to leave them in hospital mortuary refrigerators until they can work out how to pay for the levy.
It was also gathered that the same way, if you have to start the foundation of your house in Eziowelle Community. Nemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state you will have to pay first a levy of M1m to the town union before you can start.
Failure to do so, the town union leadership would mobilize thugs to attack you and this led some residents of the community, led by Chief Felix Okafor and Emeka Akukwe to lament their predicaments to newsmen recently.
“This is the type of yoke we are passing through in Eziowelle Community; we are appealing to the state governor, Willie Obiano to save the community from monumental crisis,” they have cried out.
As I said earlier, ignorance of some things we take for granted sometimes make us to have a wrong understanding of what the true position of things are. We should always look at the good side of life and appreciate God for them because it could be worse, different strokes for different folks.
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Eubaldus Enahoro is Deputy Editor with the Nigerian Observer.
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