Residents of Orhuwhorun community in Delta State's Udu Local Government Area took to the streets this week. They marched in protest over a decaying road that's crippled daily life.
Mostly women participated in the peaceful demonstration. They carried signs demanding urgent action from Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
Placards read: "Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Remember Orhuwhorun-Owhrode" and "Fix the Orhuwhorun–Owhrode Access Road." Another read: "The Orhuwhorun–Owhrode Road is Not Motorable."
The road's poor state has pushed transportation costs sky-high. Economic and social activities in the area have suffered badly.
High Chief Oghale Ighodakpo addressed the protesters during the march. He said the demonstration aimed to force government action on the neglected road.
Years of abandonment have crippled businesses and trade. Residents, traders and workers in neighbouring communities all feel the pain, Ighodakpo noted.
He called on Delta's leadership to make road repairs a priority. The reconstruction effort is vital for the region's growth, he argued.
Vice Chairman Chief Cyril Onojeghuo shared similar concerns. Commerce and mobility have become nearly impossible, he told onlookers.
Students, workers and commuters struggle daily. Many taxi drivers refuse the swampy, broken route entirely.
Community women leader Mrs Victoria Ashakpoke painted a grim picture. She described the road conditions as simply unbearable for residents.
Transport fares have doubled because drivers avoid the area. Vehicles sink into swamps and potholes along the deteriorated stretch.
Orhuwhorun and Owhrode depend on this road to connect. Yet years without maintenance have made travel painfully difficult.
"The daily challenges we face accessing neighbouring communities are painful," Ashakpoke stated. "We pay double transportation fares because no commercial transporter will risk the swampy road."
Essential services have been disrupted across the region. Citizens say their overall well-being hangs in the balance.
Ashakpoke emphasized the economic toll on ordinary people. "Our economic activities and the well-being of our people are being affected," she insisted.
