𝗔𝗬𝗔𝗞𝗢𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗢 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗚𝗘: 𝗡𝗗𝗗𝗟 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗢𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗶’𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲

 A concerned son of Ayakoromo Federated Community and Coordinator of the Niger Delta Development Lens (NDDL), Comrade Enekorogha T. Godbless, has issued an open letter to the Executive Governor of Delta State, , questioning whether the long-awaited Ayakoromo Bridge project will truly be completed within the governor’s first tenure as earlier promised.

In the emotionally charged letter, Comrade Godbless expressed the frustrations and pains of the Ayakoromo people over what he described as nearly two decades of neglect, abandonment, and repeated political promises surrounding the bridge project.

The open letter highlighted the historical background of the Ayakoromo Bridge project, tracing its origin through previous administrations and emphasizing the suffering endured by residents of Ayakoromo and other riverine communities due to the prolonged delay in completing the bridge.

He further reminded the governor of the confidence and support the Ijaw people have continued to place in his administration, especially following the traditional title recently conferred on him by the Ijaw Nation through the Ijaw National Congress (INC).

According to Comrade Godbless, the completion of the Ayakoromo Bridge would not only fulfil a major campaign promise but would also stand as a historic legacy capable of transforming the lives of thousands of people across several riverine communities in Delta State.

The open letter was officially sent to His Excellency through the verified social media platforms of the Coordinator of the Niger Delta Development Lens (NDDL), Comrade Enekorogha T. Godbless.

The full text of the open letter reads below:

𝗔𝗡 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗫𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘

𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗥𝘁. 𝗛𝗼𝗻. 𝗘𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗶

𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐎 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐑𝐄?

𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮,

I write this letter with a deeply burdened heart, yet with a hope that refuses to die. I write on behalf of a people who have waited for almost two decades to be connected to the rest of the state through the completion of the Ayakoromo Bridge project, a project that has become a symbol of unending promises, political assurances, abandonment, and the painful neglect of riverine communities.

I write to you as a concerned Nigerian, an indigene of Delta State, and most importantly, as a son of Ayakoromo Community in Burutu Local Government Area. But beyond that, I write to you as one of the many voices carrying the frustrations, pains, and silent tears of the Ayakoromo people whose dreams have been repeatedly postponed by successive administrations.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗷𝗮𝘄 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.

Recently, the Ijaw Nation, through the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the apex socio-cultural body of the Ijaw people worldwide, conferred upon you the revered traditional title of Izonebimieowei/Izonebidouwei. That honour was not ordinary. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆’𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗲. It was a loud statement of acceptance, trust, and brotherhood from an entire ethnic nationality that saw in you a leader worthy of being called their own.

Your Excellency, by that honour, the Ijaw people did not merely celebrate you; they embraced you.

Today, you are no longer seen only as a governor from the Urhobo extraction. You have become a son of the Ijaw Nation. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵, 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗷𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲

An ordinary man may be born Ijaw by blood, but to be accepted by the entire Ijaw Nation across different states and communities is something far greater. It means the people saw sincerity in you. It means they saw fairness in your leadership. It means they trusted your heart enough to hand you a title that carries honour, responsibility, and history.

From Delta to Bayelsa, from Ondo to Rivers, from Akwa Ibom to Edo, your name now echoes in Ijaw communities because the people believed you deserved that honour.

And among the Ijaw people, truth is sacred.

The Ijaw man believes that a man’s word must carry weight. A promise is expected to be honoured. That is why many Ijaw people strongly stood behind your leadership and openly supported you. They believed they were supporting a man who would not abandon them. They believed they were supporting a leader who understands the pain of the riverine people.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘆𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

Your Excellency, for almost twenty years, Ayakoromo people have lived with disappointment.

The Ayakoromo Bridge project was initiated during the administration of His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. At the time, our people celebrated with excitement and hope. Finally, they thought government had remembered them. But sadly, what followed became another painful chapter in our history. The contract was awarded to a company that lacked the capacity to properly handle such a massive project. Poor work was done. Structures that were supposed to bring hope became symbols of failure and had to be demolished during your adminstration. 

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀.

Then came the administration of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. Again, promises were made. Again, hope returned. But for eight years, the people continued waiting while the bridge remained largely stagnant until the contract was eventually reassigned toward the end of that administration.

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘆𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

To your credit, there is visible progress under your administration. Unlike previous governments, work has moved at a pace that has given our people renewed hope. 

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀. 𝗔 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆.

Every election season, promises were made to Ayakoromo people. Politicians came. Speeches were delivered. Assurances filled the air. Yet our people remained isolated.

Do you know what it means for a people to wait for almost twenty years just to be connected by road?

Do you know the pain of mothers struggling through difficult waterways because there is no proper access road?

Do you know the frustration of traders, students, workers, and sick people who continue to suffer because development has not fully reached them?

𝗔𝘆𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴.

Your Excellency, this bridge is not just a construction project. It is a lifeline. It is a symbol of hope. It is the connection between forgotten communities and the rest of Delta State.

The bridge will connect communities across Udu, Ughelli South, Bomadi, and Burutu Local Government Areas. It will open up economic opportunities, improve transportation, and finally give Burutu , the headquarters of Burutu Local Government Area, proper motorable road access.

For many communities, this bridge represents survival.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

Your Excellency, you have demonstrated capacity in infrastructural development across the state. Deltans have seen projects delivered under your administration. They have seen flyovers completed. They have seen visible development in different parts of the state. That is why the people of Ayakoromo are pleading that their own story should not end in another disappointment.

As the man now embraced by the Ijaw Nation, this project carries even greater historical significance for your legacy.

𝗜𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗿, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮

History will remember that when others made promises, you fulfilled yours.

Your Excellency, let your words remain your bond.

Let the trust the Ijaw people placed in you not be betrayed.

Let the title bestowed upon you continue to carry honour and meaning.

Let the Ayakoromo Bridge become the proof that leadership can still be compassionate, sincere, and faithful to its promises.

On behalf of the people of Ayakoromo Community, I sincerely appreciate your commitment and the progress already recorded on this project. However, our people passionately appeal to you to ensure that this bridge is completed within the timeframe you promised.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘆𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Thank you, Your Excellency.

𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮,

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗸𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗵𝗮 𝗧. 𝗚𝗼𝗱𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘆𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆

𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗻𝘀