Prophet Odumeje has criticized the Federal Government for celebrating repair work on the old Onitsha Overhead Bridge as if it were new.
Popular South East clergyman, Prophet Chukwuemeka Cyril Ohanaemere(Odumeje), has heavily criticized the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government for boasting online about fixing the old Onitsha Overhead Bridge.
The vocal pastor expressed his anger during a recent church sermon at his Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry in Onitsha, Anambra State, where he warned his church members and South East residents not to join the government in celebrating minor repair works on an old structure built decades ago.
The controversy started after the Federal Ministry of Works finished structural repair works on the First Niger Bridge, also known as the Onitsha Bridge Head.
The Federal Government had temporarily shut down the bridge to road traffic on September 7, 2026, to fix dangerous damage caused by vandals who stole critical steel bolts, nuts, and specialized expansion joints.
Following the completion of the emergency rehabilitation work, government officials reopened the road to vehicles on September 24, 2026, and shared photos and videos of the repaired bridge across social media platforms.
However, Pastor Odumeje expressed deep dissatisfaction with how official media handles were promoting the routine maintenance work as if the government had constructed a brand new modern bridge for the people of the South East region.
He warned that citizens should demand major modern infrastructure from the federal leadership instead of praising basic repairs on old roads.
Speaking angrily to his congregation about the government’s online publicity, Odumeje stated: “If I see any of you at Onitsha Head Bridge celebrating that you maintained a 1950s bridge for the South-East, Holy Ghost will kpaiii you there. This country has no conscience.”
The popular cleric noted that it is embarrassing for leaders to turn simple maintenance into a big achievement when other regions are getting massive new projects.
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He compared the government’s excitement over the repainted bridge to a man boasting about an old broken-down vehicle.
Explaining how bad the situation looks to him, Odumeje added: “If you see the way the government is showing this bridge everywhere on the internet, you will think it is a newly constructed bridge, without knowing that it is a bridge built years ago. Imagine someone celebrating the car that he parked for over 50 years after repainting it.”
The outspoken pastor also lamented that the South East region has been neglected for a very long time in terms of federal government infrastructure and economic development.
He urged leaders to focus on building new roads, creating industries, and providing basic amenities for the youth rather than playing political games with old projects.
Prophet Odumeje’s video has stirred massive reactions online. Many social media users agreed with the cleric, stating that the government needs to focus on building permanent, high-quality infrastructure across the eastern part of the country.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
