Kofa Nasarawa Bridge: Its Structural and Political Deficiencies

There was no doubt that the bridge was appropriate given the gridlock experienced by motorists and pedestrians alike every day, every minute. And when the project was conceived, drawn, and completed with all the finishings within a span of eighteen months, not everyone had a reservation as to any structural defect with the project. In fact, it was celebrated because it was also the first flyover of the bridge in the Kano metropolis executed by Kano State Government. And Kwankwasiyya supporters did not just fancy the edifice but made it seemingly a Mecca of the sort, visitors trooped from far and near to see it from afar, drive, or to be driven on it. And surely, the red Kwankwaiyya linings well stripped on all sides of the bridge along with a white background that makes it the more fascinating.

Of course, there were pockets of reservations as to why the bridge was so tight at some wings and too sharp at others causing accidents and traffic delays, inconveniences, and risks. But whatever they were, no one cared to amplify the seeming defects and the Government at the time cannot condone any misgiving, rightly or wrongly.

In constructing the bridge, other structures around the designated area had to be redesigned; abridged; taken over or demolished. For instance, the famous Silver Jubilee Square erected by former Military Governor of Kano, late AVM Hamza Abdullahi in celebrating Nigeria’s Silver Jubilee in October 1987, was partly demolished and the symbolic three frames moved to a new location. And so with the Kano State Fire Service Headquarters partly demolished and the space used for the constructions. The sports council Office and its Courts where the game of Fives and basketball were played went with the bridge construction. The old railway cabin and the Nassarawa Police Tower beside the Fire Service were demolished and moved respectively. So also a large chunk of Kano Line Transport Corporation was taken over in the course of the bridge construction. Indeed a portion of the present City Campus of Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano, actually built by the Government of late Muhammad Abubakar Rimi, CON as Kano Investment House, was taken for the flyover bridge. The projects of previous administrations were altered or jettisoned to give way for the Kofar Nassarawa Fly-Over Bridge. All in, there was no grudge but acceptance. Why is the issue of restructuring a bridge trigger threats and insults?

Before former Governor Kwankwaso left in 2015, he had already drawn plans for the construction of the Bata overhead bridge, the longest in Northern Nigeria. But his government was only able to put the trunks and left. When Governor Ganduje came in, he completed it and all is well today. At least, let us listen to the logic of ‘restructuring’ before crying foul, perhaps there might be no need for wailing aloud.

When Senator Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, CON was Governor from 2003-2011, he was aggressive in expanding road networks despite his good mantra of human development which remains unrivaled in Nigeria. His Government constructed and expanded the roads from Kofar Kabuga to Kano Guest In, and from Kofar Nassarawa to the Government House. When former Governor Kwankwaso came in 2011, his plan of a flyover was indeed misconstrued to mean he wanted to rubbish the work done by the Shekarau administration because the road networks were good and wide enough. So head or Tail, Governor Ganduje will have to battle so many forces before he dares ‘restructure’ the bridge.

Some defects that could be noted remain as to why, after completion, a part of the bridge, specifically a part of the ground lane blocked to motorists forcing everyone to drive up. Indeed, a lot of things are being said in a murmur; hush when former Governor Kwankwaso was in charge for fear of being dubbed a non-conformist to the Kwankwaiyya tendency.

Today, either for political expediency or for reasons of glaring structural defects, the Kano State Government under His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR has issued a statement to the effect that the Fly-Over bridge at Kofar Nassarawa will be “reconstructed” in order to ensure the safety of lives and vehicles. The statement has already stirred the hornet’s nest. While the Kwankwaiyya apologists have since gone to town castigating the Kano State Government for attempting to “demolish” the bridge for political reasons, the State Government has denied any plan to bring down the fly-Over for a new one. Lest we forget, only recently in Kaduna State, Governor Nasiru El-Rufai has brought down the popular bridge at Kawo in the Kaduna metropolis and rebuilding a new one in it’s place. With this in mind, it is just imagined that the same scenario may come to play in Kano, or indeed that is what informed the Kano State government to bring up the plan of ‘restructuring’.

The issue of ‘demolition’ as claimed by the opposition and denial by the state government to insist that it will only ‘restructure’ the bridge are either way politically motivated. And more annoying to the former Governor is that he is an Engineer and may look thoroughly embarrassed because his political son, Engineer Kabir Yusuf, was also the Commissioner of Works who stood for the project. So how can a novice in construction now claim the bridge has structural defects? Engineer Kabir Yusuf, alias Abba Gida Gida in Kano parlance, almost floored Governor Ganduje in the 2019 Gubernatorial election in Kano. It seems, it is a grudge. But is it?

Talking about grudges. What can former Governor Kwankwaso say of what he did to the Triumph Publishing Company? A very viable legacy of former Governor Abubakar Rimi? Why was CTV’s name changed to STV before Senator Shekarau changed it again to ARTV in honour of it’s founder, late Abubakar Rimi? Why did former Governor Kwankwaso changed the Investment House built by late Abubakar Rimi from the ICT Centre named by Shekarau to a City Campus of Yusuf Maitama Sule University?

No matter how valid the reasons the state government has in it’s ‘restructuring’ drive, it can only be perceived as a deliberate attempt by the present administration to rubbish the legacies of its predecessor. And on the other hand, no matter how true the opposition will convince everyone that expertise and professionalism were put in the construction and need no alteration, cannot be accepted by the government who believe it is responsible for protecting people’s lives and well-being.

Ordinarily, we should not just put a government on the sword when it came up with an idea. We must learn to remember the past for our present and its consequences on our future. It is my fervent prayer and hopes that the government of Governor Ganduje be properly guided as to whether to ‘restructure’ the bridge or leave it as it is.

Adamu Muhammad Nababa
ganjiga63@gmail.com
Kano, Nigeria