Deplorable Ovia River Bridge: A death trap waiting to swallow love ones.

Howbeit, we pretend not to see the deplorable state of the Ovia River Bridge, the bodies of our innocent loved ones may soon become victims of this open death trap on the Benin-Ovia-Lagos Expressway.

Vehicular movement is grounded for hours, with hopes fading by the tick of the clock, as no road user is sure if they will arrive safely.

Yet, the same political actors are saddled with the responsibility of guaranteeing the safety of citizens, I mean those elected years ago as leaders, have failed to provide that comfort.

And still, they seek another four years in office without justifying even the safety of our movements.

Some “nothing by nature” NBN, elements sing their praises, force their pen to promote them after cashing out into individuals pockets.

These nothing by nature praise singers also have loved ones, but look away when people knock and seek why road users have been made to suffer, yet pay tax.

They fail to understand that It does not ask for your party card before it collapses.

That is the truth about the Ovia River Bridge — that deplorable, shaking, rust-eaten death trap on the ever-busy Benin-Lagos highway like that of Avbiele bridge along Benin Auchi Expressway.

Every day, thousands cross it. APC, PDP, Labour Party, NDC, ADC, AC Accord, APM, market women, students, soldiers, police, pastors and traditionalists.

When that bridge finally gives way and it will, if nothing is done, it will not check whether you shouted “4+4” or whether you chanted “Obidient.” It will swallow us all. Loved ones. Together.

This is no longer just a bridge. It is a ticking time bomb.

Look at it. Iron rods exposed like broken bones. Side rails vanished.

Deep craters in the middle of the bridge where trailers jump like they are doing stunts. Planks placed by drivers to cover gaping holes.

No warning signs. No lights at night. Just faith — blind faith — keeping vehicles from plunging into the dark waters of the Ovia River.

And what have we done? We have perfected the art of neglecting. Of inaction.

Government officials drive over it in convoys with sirens, windows wound up, eyes closed. Agencies saddled with the responsibility, Federal Ministry of Works, FERMA, Edo State Government, trading blames while the bridge trades lives.

We saw it with other bridges in other countries.We mourned. We posted “Rest in Peace” on Facebook. We did candlelight. And we forgot.

Must Ovia River Bridge kill a governor’s convoy?

Must it swallow a trailer full of school children before we act?

The consequences are already here.

For the ruling party faithful, your loyalty will not save you when your tyre enters that crater at midnight. For the opposition, your criticism will not repair your vehicle when your axle breaks on that bridge.

For the ordinary people, the farmer taking plantain to Lagos, the student going to write JAMB, the driver feeding his family, this bridge is the difference between life and death.

Every delay in fixing it is a betrayal of the people, regardless of political colour.

Every day we keep quiet, we become accomplices.

This is why society must jointly call them out.

The market woman association, the student union, the NURTW, the Christian Association, the traditional council, the opposition, the ruling party supporters, all of us.

Because a collapsed bridge does not do opposition or ruling parties. It does tragedy.

Fixing the Ovia River Bridge is not politics. It is survival.

Let the Federal Government take responsibility. Let the Edo State Government mount pressure. Let FERMA show its presence.

Let the contractor be mobilized, not with press statements, but with cement, iron and urgency.

We cannot continue to drive on prayers alone.

Ovia River Bridge today is deplorable. Tomorrow, it may be our obituary.

A bridge that does not discriminate in who it kills should not be ignored by those elected to protect all.”

Every hour the authority postpone repairs on Ovia Bridge, they mortgage innocent lives.

They should remember that neglect is also a form of violence, and Ovia Bridge is bleeding negligence.

The Ovia River Bridge is no longer a road, it is an open grave waiting for traffic.

And when that happens, who will we blame? The bridge? Or our collective silence?