*Governor Nwifuru, Royal Fathers, and the Army Unite in Historic Infrastructure Push
By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
In a bold stride toward regional integration and rural transformation, the Ebonyi State Government has commenced the construction of the long-awaited Enyim River Bridge—a 100-metre, five-span crossing that will connect Ebonyi’s Izzi communities with the Oju people of Benue State.
The groundbreaking, presided over by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, marks a watershed moment in South-East–North-Central relations, reviving a decades-old vision with the promise of new opportunities in commerce, connectivity, and cultural exchange.
“This is not just a construction project; it is a declaration of shared destiny. With this bridge, we are not only linking states but rewriting the story of forgotten communities," Governor Nwifuru said at the ceremony.
Designed for completion within eight to nine months, the bridge is set to replace the dangerous canoe routes that residents have long depended upon—routes that have claimed dozens of lives, especially during the rainy season. “From January till now, we’ve lost more than 40 people trying to cross,” a local lamented.
The project drew emotional and strategic endorsements across sectors. Governor Nwifuru, visibly moved, recalled a personal tragedy from 1996 when he sighted the Enyim River during his emergency treatment in the area: “I never imagined I’d return here not as a patient, but as the one to bring healing infrastructure.”
Benue State’s support, led by Governor Hyacinth Alia, was affirmed by his representative, Mr. Isaac Ukpa, who pledged to construct the adjoining road from the Oju axis. “This is a corridor of mutual growth—for trade, agriculture, and unity,” Ukpa noted.
Notably, the Nigerian Army, under Brigadier-General Saidu Bello, has joined the project as a technical partner, reinforcing its national significance. “This is a strategic investment in peace, progress, and cohesion,” Bello said.
From royal palaces to community fields, the project has stirred deep sentiment. HRH Eze Cyprian Mbam Nwekee, De Gbirim Gbaram I of Izhi Nation, who cut short an international engagement to witness the ceremony, called it “a sacred turning point.” He recounted how a young farmer recently drowned at the river and remembered his own childhood trauma on a collapsed wooden bridge. “This is more than concrete and steel—it’s the beginning of a new chapter.”
The monarch praised Governor Nwifuru’s leadership and applauded the choice of Sappers Engineering Nigeria Limited as the contractor. “Governor Nwifuru is a humanitarian leader whose vision doesn’t sleep,” he declared.
Tony Nwizi, Director General of the Ebonyi Broadcasting Corporation, emphasized the bridge’s role as a gateway to Abuja, cutting travel time drastically and reactivating historic markets like Iziogo.
The Enyim Bridge project dovetails with larger national infrastructure ambitions. In April 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu flagged off the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja Super Highway, with Works Minister David Umahi championing the initiative. Plans are also underway to construct a new bridge at Ndibe Beach, linking Ebonyi with Cross River State.
As excavators roar and prayers rise from the hills of Izzi to the plains of Oju, one message resounds: this bridge is not just being built—it is being believed in. And in that belief lies the blueprint of a new Nigeria, rising not just with steel and stone, but with shared vision, dignity, and purpose.
