Beyond Blueprints: Cultural Respect and the Mbiakong Obong Itam Bridge

Hi friends!

I am glad to be here again in the Pinmapple community

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Exploring the Mbiakong Obong Itam bridge, situated in the Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria, was like stepping into an adventure of unfulfilled dreams and perseverance. In the field of engineering, this bridge has an eventful history of being regarded as a kind of "unfinished project."

According to the report, engineers will come to start up the project of building the project but in the end, they leave it abandoned due to no reason. This got me confounded and so, when I arrived at the place and met a new set of engineering companies “Zenith,” who are beginning to work on the site, I asked what they heard about the previous firms and why they stopped halfway; I was told they did not consult the traditional rulers appropriately, which means it seems there's more to engineering than just calculations and blueprints; cultural respect plays a role too.

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Walking around the scene, I saw a well-constructed iron that looked rusty, this stood as an indication of the decades this project has been abandoned. However, there was hope in the air with the presence of a British engineer overseeing the project and assurances that all necessary consultations had been made with the elders.

While still on the tour, I noticed a temporary wooden bridge spanning the river. It seemed surprisingly sturdy, rumored to hold the weight of trucks. I couldn't verify it, but it was a curious sight nonetheless.

It was a lovely experience at the cool of the day; the neighborhood was filled with activity, mostly related to farming and woodworking. The dense forest close by offered the residents plenty of resources, from fuel to materials to make furniture. When the bridge is fully completed, I believe business will move more smoothly than expected. From what I heard, acknowledging the elders is part of engineering work even though it is not taught in schools. The Zenith company has done a good job, and I pray the complete the work soonest.