I love Dave Umahi I always have. I watched him closely during his time as governor, and I continued observing him when he became Minister of Works. Recently, I received an unexpected invitation to visit the Maraba road and the bridge near Keffi that collapsed three months ago. I hadn’t seen him in a while, so I decided to go. As usual, he teased me about my “opposition role,” saying, “Otunba, I know how you think. Come and see what the President is doing through me on infrastructure.”
One of his favorite lines is: “Before now, Nigeria thought it was building roads but they never lasted. President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is constructing roads that will last 50–100 years.”
I agreed to come, and I invited some friends a mix of NNPP, AA, ADC, and even a Labour man (though the Labour man couldn’t join because of their congresses). Off we went: ten hours on the road, following Dave Umahi from site to site.
Dave truly loves engineering. He understands construction deeply. He thrives in the field engaging contractors, giving instructions, verifying the quality of work, checking bills of quantities, and ensuring that agreements match execution.
At the Maraba road, I was both shocked and delighted by the amount of work already done by a combination of local and foreign companies. I’ve often asked him, “Can’t our people build roads? Will they get the jobs too?” His answer is always the same: “As we inspect, you’ll see Nigerians who can match anyone in this field. The bidding and evaluation processes are competitive. And the value chain of construction supports millions of Nigerians, even when foreign contractors are involved.” He added that the President is just as concerned about developing local capacity.
At that moment, I felt sadness and joy. How did Nigeria become a nation of complainers people who rarely return with testimonies of progress? My journey with Dave on the Maraba road actually began because young people in a barbershop complained bitterly about the agony they suffered on that road. I promised to speak to the Minister about it. Now, so much work has been done, yet not a single testimonial from the public. It made me wonder: What kind of people have we become? Why do we hate our own country so easily? We are all we’ve got, and we must learn to appreciate our collective efforts.
When we reached the bridge, I was pleasantly surprised it was not only restored but strengthened, rebuilt better, and protected with gantries to prevent a recurrence. And all within such a short time. I asked His Excellency, “Professor in Practice” Dave Umahi how they accomplished this so fast, given that it was an unplanned emergency. He explained: once the collapse was broadcast on TV and Nigerians began lamenting, the President issued a marching order, backed it with immediate funding, and the ministry scoped the work and mobilized a contractor. In less than three months 29 days after completion the bridge was quietly reopened.
I loved the “no fanfare” approach. I’ve always been uncomfortable with the wasteful culture of commissioning ceremonies. To me, finishing the project and quietly opening it is enough. Road users know the difference; the work speaks for itself. Save the money.
From there, we headed toward Kaduna, stopping at critical points to observe the work. What struck me most was that at every single location, men and women were actively working. I heard in some areas Dave ordering ministry supervisors to temporarily relocate to boost oversight. He urged contractors to take advantage of the good weather, double their workforce and equipment, and work day and night under floodlights. He emphasized tree planting every 10 meters, the development of side corridors, and the provision of streetlights.
At some point I found myself singing: “Things are getting better, things are getting better. For the Lord is on the throne, things are getting better.”
I began calling Dave “the conqueror of the Goliath of bad roads,” because I can truly see things turning around.
I wish our country the very best as we continue our journey of nation-building. This, to me, is what I call a consensus around development with a uniquely Nigerian character.
Otunba Segun Showunmi
The Alternative.
