MORPHY: C’ Riverian fixes 47-years old Dilapidated Ukpagada Bridge in Ogoja, Incites grand commendation

Efio-Ita Nyok|13 January 2017

Chief Ray Ugba Morphy has taken the bull by the horn. Guess what? The former Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State on National Contact has embarked on building with his personal money the Ukpagada Bridge.

The Ukpagada Bridge is located in Ogoja LGA. It’s part of three bridges linking the Bakor and Nkum communities. There is a tunnel-designed twin smaller linkage bridges and a major one. Chief Morphy is reconstructing one of the twin.

Reports have it that the said bridge was constructed by British colonial authorities. However, during the Nigerian-Biafra Civil War of the late 1960s the bridge was bombed. 47 years after, this infrastructure has been neglected as the affected communities have been literally disconnected making commutation, transportation of farm produce, etc practically unrealisable.

Actual work began yesterday. A meeting with the community took place yesterday. The cite was surveyed and Maurice Nkong of Progenitors for Africa development was on hand to offer technical advice.

Our humanitarian in the person of Chief Morphy has expressed his disappointment with a disinterested elite class and an I-don’t-care masses. In his words, ‘This a metaphor of all that is wrong with us. We have a disconnected elite and a docile populace who rather than organise for better society are busy dancing and praying in churches!’. Morphy obviously pegs the challenge to religion precisely Christianity. This position was frowned against by one Nnamdi Obiakalusi who said, ‘Please leave the Church out of this, should we rather be in the mosque learning how to hate non Muslims or in the village shrine, paying libation to dead spirits. It’s a leadership problem that we have in Nigeria.’

A Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Cross River, Chief Tony Undiandeye, has commended Morphy thus: ‘I can speak of your acts of charity and selfless community building with authority. This is one in several that have manifested without publicity. May your passion for a better society bring you greater fulfilment, with Almighty God, rewarding you with good health and prosperity to expand your kindness.’

Meanwhile, a popular social commentator, Joseph Odok, lambasted the Governor in these words, ‘Teach Ayade Sir, it is an embarrassment that a private person is fixing a culvert and the governor is yet to complete any project since the inception of his government. Kudos to Ray Ugba Morphy’.

Chief Ray Ugba Morphy I must confess this is commendable. We hope another light from Bakor and Nkum will take the challenge of fixing the other bridges. Congratulations for walking the talk!

Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org