By Saidu Bn Malik.
The Jamata–Budan–Kupa–Eggan corridor is more than just a rural road; it is a vital artery that connects communities across Kogi, Kwara, and Niger States. Nestled within fertile valleys and rolling plains, the road is the backbone of agriculture, trade, and mobility for thousands of people who depend on it daily. It is the lifeline that links our communities, culture, and economy.
During the dry season, the road paints a picture of possibility: trucks carry produce from fertile farmlands, motorcycles ferry passengers between villages, and markets thrive with the hum of commerce.
But as the rains descend, this promise is drowned in hardship. Gullies appear overnight, streams cut across the path, and vehicles sink in mud pools. What should be a 30-minute journey often turns into a day-long ordeal. Pregnant women struggle to reach clinics, farmers watch helplessly as their harvest rots, and young students risk their safety to attend school.
Yet, the potential if this road is properly constructed is immense. With a durable, all-season road, farmers could transport yams, rice, cassava, and other produce to Lokoja and beyond with ease, boosting food security and local income. Access to healthcare and education would dramatically improve, reducing preventable deaths and lifting the prospects of an entire generation.
Tourism could also flourish, as the natural beauty of our communities becomes accessible to more Nigerians. In short, the road is not just infrastructure—it is development, prosperity, and dignity.
We, the people of Kupa land, deeply appreciate the preparedness and commitment of His Excellency, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo( The Uncommon Governor), in recognising this need. His administration’s listening ear and readiness for action give us confidence that change is within reach.
We respectfully call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to urgently place the Jamata–Budan–Kupa–Eggan road on the national infrastructure priority list to support the state interventions as a result of the ecological nature of the road.
This is not just a local road project; it is a strategic regional corridor linking three states with the power to transform lives, markets, and opportunities across central Nigeria.
A functional road here will strengthen food distribution networks, ease inter-community connectivity, and reinforce the administration’s pledge to leave no community behind.
The Jamata–Budan–Kupa–Eggan road is in my mind—and in the hearts of every Kupa son and daughter. A road to prosperity. A road to unity. A road that needs urgent attention.
God bless Kogi State
God bless Nigeria
The President, Kupa Development Association (KUDA)
saiduone@yahoo.co.uk
