Saintmoses Eromosele (SME)
Edo people notice change. They may not speak in long grammar, but they see what is happening around them, and they remember.
When a road that troubled drivers for years is repaired, people talk about it. When salaries come on time and civil servants return home without that familiar worry, families breathe easier. When markets are modernised and schools and hospitals begin to function with more order, communities feel the difference. When hitherto rural places like Udomi begin to look and function like modern cities, the people appreciate it — and they quietly ask for assurance that it will last.
These things matter. They are not small things.
But our people also understand something simple. After the road is repaired, how do we use it? After the market is renovated, how do we manage it? After the hospital is strengthened, how do we keep it working well? After schools are built and renovated, how do we ensure they truly serve our children?
It is one thing to build. It is another thing to organise. And if we fail to organise, we will eventually agonise.
A smooth road is a blessing. Yet if commercial buses and taxis still stop anywhere without designated bus stops, if passengers are squeezed beyond safety limits, if conductors continue to hang outside moving vehicles, and if basic transport rules are ignored, the blessing does not last. Order protects improvement.
A renovated market brings pride. But clean surroundings, fair stall allocation, proper waste disposal, access to water and sanitation, and basic safety measures are what make traders comfortable every single day.
A hospital building gives hope. But respectful staff, functional equipment, reliable supplies, and organised emergency response are what save lives.
A classroom gives children space to learn. But relevant teaching, practical skills, and clear pathways to real work are what secure their future.
Farmers may receive support and benefit from better access roads. Yet without storage facilities, processing options, and reliable markets, hard work can still end in loss. Effort must be supported by structure.
Our people are not against rules. They simply want fairness. They want to know that what applies to one person applies to another. When rules are clear, enforcement is steady, and communication is patient, most citizens cooperate willingly.
There is visible effort across sectors, and such effort deserves acknowledgment. Direction is present. What matters now is keeping that direction clear, coordinated, and well communicated, so that progress does not scatter or lose momentum.
A state grows stronger when its efforts are joined together. Roads, schools, markets, farms, and hospitals must support one another. When they do, development becomes something people can trust.
Building is good. Keeping it working is better. And when we care for what we build, progress stops being temporary and becomes lasting.
Saintmoses Eromosele (SME), Executive Director of ONEGHE SELE FOUNDATION, writes from his cassava farm in Ewu.
Saintmoses Eromosele
Saintmoses Eromosele is a Nigerian scholar, community organiser, and entrepreneur. He is the Executive Director of the Oneghe Sele Foundation and CEO of multiple ventures spanning education, healthcare, property, media, and technology. A trained legal mind with academic grounding in law, sociology, economics, management, and public administration, he is widely known for his advocacy on justice, civic responsibility, and equitable governance. He writes from his cassava farm in Ewu, Edo State.
