Every New Year presents us with new opportunities. Some make new resolutions. Some self-styled prophets make new predictions. You start smelling the New Year as from late December when people, especially Ndigbo, migrate in droves to the East from different parts of the globe. It has become an annual ritual. At this period, there is no demarcation between day and night. As early as 2am or even 1am, many of them have hit the road to the East.
When I left my house at 3am on December 28, 2021, I thought that was too early and risky considering that I was travelling with my entire family. But I was mistaken. Too many vehicles were already on the road at that time. Even the police were not left out. They were at every pole on the expressway to give protection and ask for Christmas kola. They also helped to build traffic along the road.
Apart from the delays from the police, ours was a smooth journey. Or so we thought. We got to Asaba, the capital of Delta State, about 11am. That was when our trouble started. The traffic we encountered, as some Nigerians would say, has no part two. Sometimes, tired motorists engaged in a road rage over minor issues. One man, who noticed a little hit on his back bumper, came down from his car and started raining blows on the culprit. Serious fighting ensued. It took the intervention of other motorists to stop the fighting.
Suddenly, I noticed a vehicle breakdown in front of me. I tried to switch to the left lane. But the man coming behind me from that side tried to block me. I had almost entered fully when I heard ‘gboa!’ A ‘tokunbo’ Mercedes Benz 4Matic had hit my back bumper. There were little scratches on the front bumper of the Mercedes jeep. The driver came down and fumed: “I was on my lane. You left yours to scratch my car. You must repair this car. Else, I will smash your car.” Both of us tried to claim right. But somehow, we resolved the issue and moved on.
By the time I looked at my time, it was 5.45pm. And we were still in Asaba. At that point, the car AC was no longer cooling well. About 6pm, we entered the Head Bridge at Onitsha. I looked for what caused the traffic, I couldn’t see. I was even lucky.
I learnt that some travellers who left Lagos about 6am only got to Onitsha at 3am the following day. I suspect that it is the high number of vehicles passing through the narrow end of the Niger Bridge at Asaba that causes the gridlock. But why this perennial traffic situation has defied solution is what I cannot fathom. Perhaps, when the second Niger Bridge is completed this year, it will go a long way in restoring some sanity on that road.
Nevertheless, this is what many Igbo suffer every year just to go home and intermingle with their people at home. The only cooling effects are the masquerade displays, the traditional-cum-white wedding ceremonies, medical outreaches, house warming, outing of age grades, chieftaincy title taking, and so on.
In my hometown, Isuofia, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, many activities make the season worthwhile. As I stated on this page in December 2019, “if people are not watching one entertaining event or the other, they are on social visits to friends and relatives. Yes, everybody has food in his house, but it is that one that is eaten communally that nourishes both body and soul. Even bachelors find this season a veritable time to hook up with some spinsters. This could lead to consummation of marriages.”
Besides, there are serious developmental projects that different villages and groups undertake within this period. For instance, Chidozie Age Grade of Umueze-Isuofia built a multimillion-naira sports complex, which it has since handed over to the town. Chidera Age Grade of Ozalla-Isuofia built a standard one-storey hall, which was inaugurated on January 1, 2020. On its part, Chidera Age Grade of Umueze-Isuofia installed solar energy streetlights in Umueze. Oganiru Age Grade, also of Umueze, built a two-storey health centre, which was unveiled and handed over to the town on January 2, 2020. This age grade also offered free medical treatment/eyeglasses that same day.
Rehabilitation of roads is also given priority attention. The major road linking Akulu Isuofia to Nanka, which the member representing Orumba-North/South in the House of Representatives, Hon. Okwudili Ezenwankwo, promised to rehabilitate last year with great fanfare had become worse and a total mess. Ezenwankwo’s contractor came and destroyed the drainage system already built on the road. He started a new one but, midway into the work, he abandoned the road and disappeared. Many people were cut off from entering their compounds.
Citizens of Akulu-Isuofia mobilized their illustrious sons through the social media and raised some money with which they made some palliative repairs on the road to make it a bit passable again.
In the same Akulu, a family called Umuezeogu gathered to share a cow one of their illustrious sons donated to them. There and then, four people pledged to bring four cows that would be shared at the same time next year. This is outside the monetary contributions of some other individuals towards the next annual ritual. Some family kindred have scholarship schemes through which they sponsor indigent family members to the university. Some are able to start a business venture because of some help from family and friends. Indigent members of the society receive Christmas gifts from both individuals and the community.
Within this period, meetings are held at family, village and town levels. Women’s groups like ‘Umuada’ (daughters of the soil) and ‘Ndi Inyom’ (women married to sons of the soil) hold their own meetings. In these meetings, ways to engender individual and community successes top the agenda. Errant members of the community are also punished.
This is the beauty of Igbo communal life. Whoever says that the Igbo don’t love one another may not be totally correct. They have this concept of ‘onye aghala nwanne ya’ which literally means no one should abandon his brother. Or put in another way, be your brother’s keeper. It is when it comes to the pursuit of wealth and power that they appear to be selfish and individualistic. This is because everybody struggles to make it and no one wants to bow to his fellow man.
We may see snippets of this character as 2023 elections approach. Call it pride, if you like. To me, it is having a sense of self-worth. I am already looking forward to this year’s end-of-year festivities, Asaba gridlock or no gridlock. What about you?
