A dark cloud has once again settled over Amudo, a bustling community in Ebonyi State, following the heartbreaking death of a respected school principal, Mr. Emmanuel Nwali, and his son in a tragic motorcycle accident.
The incident occurred on Friday as Mr. Nwali, head of Ezeta Ugbala Memorial Secondary School, was returning home with his two sons after the school’s Inter-house Sports Competition.
Their motorcycle collided with an abandoned truck parked carelessly along the roadside.
The crash claimed the lives of the principal and one of his sons instantly, while the second child was seriously injured and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
This latest tragedy comes just weeks after another road-related fatality involving Mrs. Ugo Oroke, a local churchgoer, who was struck while crossing the same dangerous stretch of road.
Residents say enough is enough.
“This road has become a graveyard,” said a concerned eyewitness. “In just this year alone, we’ve seen multiple fatal accidents. Vehicles speed through as if people don’t live here.”
The Abakaliki–Afikpo Expressway cuts through Amudo, but locals say it lacks basic safety measures despite the high human and vehicular traffic.
There are no speed bumps, pedestrian crossings, or signage—even though the area is surrounded by schools, markets, churches, and hospitals.
Moses Ezaka, a friend and former classmate of the late principal, described Mr. Nwali as “a devoted father, committed teacher, and a pillar in the community.”
He recalled yet another accident that happened at Onueke a day before, and urged authorities to act.
“This road is cursed until it’s fixed,” he said. “The Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, must prioritize the dualization of this highway. Our people are dying needlessly.”
Ezaka’s words echo a broader call to action—one that has grown more urgent with every life lost. Last year, the same road claimed the life of a university lecturer, Dr. Simon Ezaka, who was en route to deliver supplies to his wife after childbirth.
With the death toll rising and the pain still raw, Amudo is no longer just grieving—it’s demanding change.
