Wonders in Anambra, As Man Occupies Aroma Junction Axis of Enugu-Onitsha Expressway

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

It was a bewildering and strange act, as an unidentified middle-aged man unannouncedly surfaced from nowhere and occupied the foot of  Aroma Flyover axis of the ever-busy Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

The dark-complexioned man did not only keep his few belongings at the said Junction, but also spread his mat and pillow thereon and comfortably sleeps and snores on the middle of the road, both day and night, without being run over by vehicles. 

Some passers-by earlier speculated that the man was dead; however, the doubt was cleared when, the man, as though he was hearing them, and with a view to prove them, woke up and took one more cloth from his nearby nylon bag to support his legs on the coal tar, proving that he was fully alive, against all speculations.

One of the speculators and a shop owner at the Junction, Mr. Chikadibia disclosed that the man was alive and had been occupying and sleeping on the middle of the road, as his abode, since last week, for no just reason. He however suspected that the man was mentally challenged, to have done such without thinking about the risks and dangers associated with what he is doing.

Another shop owner who pleaded anonymity said, “The man is lucky not to have been crushed by a speeding vehicle. You can see the categories of vehicles speeding past him while he is snoring in his sleep. The relevant authority should act before something fatal happens."

On her own part, a passer-by, who simply gave her name as Cynthia, visibly sympathized with the man, who she opined, may have been depressed or generally tired of life; even as she beckoned on the government to take the man off the road, find out what his problem is, and give him the required care and attention.

She wondered why even government officials and agencies would drive pass the man sleeping on the road, without stopping to ask questions or offer assistance.

"Or would they claim they have not noticed him?" she asked.

While some others wondered why the man did not see other safe places to camp, except middle of the ever-busy road; some opined that he might be suffering from what he or his forefathers committed in the past.

These mixed reactions and speculations of the citizens notwithstanding, one thing is central: The man needs urgent attention. It is therefore expected that the Anambra State Ministry of Social Welfare, Children and Women Affairs, the OCHA Brigade or other concerned government agencies urgently visit the scene and attend to the man, to actually find out what his problem is, and offer the required possible assistance, to avoid any form of emergencies or even fatality that may result from his apparently indeliberate act.

All efforts by good-spirited individuals and other members of the public, to lure the man off the road with food and other edibles, proved abortive, as he could barely comprehend.

"How does he feed himself then?" the sympathizers wondered in disappointment.