The Nation Newspaper

Tag: COMMUNITY

  • Inside Anambra’s forgotten community

    Inside Anambra’s forgotten community

    Travelling to Igbokenyi is quite an ordeal. From Onitsha, Anambra State, you board a boat to  Illah in Delta State, from where you trek to the neglected Igala-speaking, rustic community. But NWANOSIKE ONU reports that things may have started to change   

     

    Their only road to the outside world is a narrow path, flooded in the rainy season and overgrown in the hot period. On it, residents of Igbokenyi in Anambra West Local Government Area of the state march to Illah in Delta State where they board a boat on the bank of River Niger. At the end of their trip outside, they march back on the same path to their rustic community of perhaps over 100,000 people.

    Their resilience is as remarkable as their peculiarities. They speak Igala language of Kogi State, with whom they have a boundary. But they are in Anambra, though quartered on the Delta end of the Niger, and speak smattering Igbo.

    There is a primary school in Igbokenyi but there is hardly anything else bearing a modern mark, except perhaps the clothes the people wear. No paved road. No secondary school. No hospital. And no fond memories from any government of any stripe.

    Their mud shelters are hardly better than what their forebears bequeathed to them. It is rare to see any fair-skinned person, the reason for which is hard to see.

    The people know what suffering is like. The only thing they say they do not know is why they are where they are, and why no one seems to care whether they live or die.

    They have no pipe-borne water, and perhaps count themselves lucky to, at least, have the great Niger to draw from and wash in.

    The visitor to Igbokenyi gets to Illah first, by boat from Onitsha, Anambra State, or Asaba, Delta State. From Illah, you walk, as the residents do, on that bush path, to Igbokenyi. It is not the pleasant of journeys, but that is the lot of the residents, and the visitor must also put up with it.

    The people are in agony. All  they have is mud houses like in the ancient times.

    The only source of making ends meet in the area is farming.

    Even their farm products are always difficult to transport outside the area because of lack of transportation means, except through the River to the cities.

    But during one of his tours to some churches round the state months back, a philanthropist in the state from Umuchu community, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, who wept seeing such backwardness, told the Anglican Church in the area that he would provide boats to ease their transportation problems.

    The Nation realised that a prospective visitor to the forgotten community would move to Illah in Delta from Onitsha in Anambra state, before embarking on another stressful boat journey to Igbokenyi.

    •A donated boat being blessed by the Anglican Church members
    •A donated boat being blessed by the Anglican Church members

    The 150 high-capacity engine boats worth one million naira donated to St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Mbamili Diocese by Ezeemo, had given hope to the hopeless.

    One of the inhabitants in the area, Mrs. Rose Oguno, told The Nation that Anambra government past and present does not know that Igbokenyi exists.

    She said, “We have plenty and assorted foods here, but there is no means of transporting them to anywhere; this can best describe the situation we have found ourselves in this area”

    Also, for Prince Igene Osaji, the community is an abandoned one and according to him, they had taken their fate in their own hands adding “we did not create ourselves; neither did we put ourselves in Anambra State”

    Osaji said, “The people in this community need help, we are suffering, it is a kind of one eating one’s flesh, we are in pain because nobody cares for us”

    •Pamela standing in front of a typical Igbokenyi building
    •Pamela standing in front of a typical Igbokenyi building

    “At least these boats will not only be used by the church, the people of the community will equally benefit because we live for one another in this area and do things in common”

    Fidelia Atu, who is one of the big farmers in the place, told the Nation that what they were doing in Igbokenyi was suffering and smiling.

    “As a result, we have decided to keep to ourselves because there is no amount of cry that will make the government of Anambra state visit us here, we believe that the government sees us as people without future and hope”

    “But they are not God, we are still living and multiplying and we believe God that one day, we are going to meet a savior in this area like this man who has donated the 150 boats to the church”

    “If we have people like him who visit this place, then we will have the feeling that we belong to the society, we thank Ezeemo for his benevolence and only God can reward him,” Atu said.

    Though, he did not go to the community again to deliver the 150 boats, but when the Nation contacted Ezeemo on phone, he said he was touched on the level of neglect suffered by the people of Igbokenyi over the years.

    He told The Nation that he visited the community in March, 2015 and was amazed by poor transportation system experienced by the people and wondered if government had not been informed about their plight.

    According to Ezeemo, “we have to travel through Ellah in Delta state to come to this place and half way drive, we trekked and entered a boat with our hearts struck to our mouth”

    “It is unbelievable that such a place still exist in the state ,the development going on in the state should be extended to this area, what is governance if the people at the grass roots cannot feel it, or abandoned and neglected from their normal ancient experience to modernity”

    Ezeemo, further said that poor transportation system experienced by the community, no doubt, had hindered their efforts in show casing their various agricultural endowment.

    He therefore, called on the state government and other wealthy individuals in Anambra state to join hands in giving lasting meaning to the existence of the people of the community through provision of essential amenities.

    While receiving the boats, the Anglican Bishop of Mbamili Diocese, Most Rev Henry Okeke, accompanied by his wife Julie and other priests, said that the boats were fulfillment of a promise by Ezeemo.

    He said that the donor had become a willing instrument used by God to bring succor not only to the church, but to humanity.

    Okeke, urged God to continue to shower His blessings and protection on Ezeemo’s family, adding that he had alleviated the sufferings being encountered by the church in Igbokenyi community and its people.

    Speaking with the Nation, the parish priest of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Igbokenyi, Rev Victor Ogbalu, said not only the church but the entire community were in a frenzing over the donation.

    He said Ezeemo had given the people hope that their end had not come, describing this as a great gift to the church and humanity.

     

  • Community clears refuse, bemoans lack of infrastructure

    In line with the seven-day ultimatum given by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mr. John Chukwu to all area councils chairmen to evacuate refuse in their domains, Kuje is wearing a new look after the exercise.

    Some residents of the council who spoke with journalists during the evacuation exercise,  praised the council’s environmental department for its continuous efforts in sanitising the area despite the challenges of infrastructures faced by the people.

    One of the residents,  Mr. Godwin Jacob, also commended the Permanent Secretary for the clean-up directive,  saying that despite the previous effort from the environmental department to clean up the area,  there were some areas that lacked proper cleaning. But that has been taken care of by the department during the clean-up exercise.

    Jacob,  who said that environmental sanitation has become a tradition in the area,  because of the effort been put in by the present head of department to ensure a clean and healthy environment, lamented that almost all the major feeder roads in the council have gone bad,  without the effort of the present administration to rehabilitate them.

    “However,  apart from the area of proper environmental sanitation,  we have not seen any adequate infrastructures on ground,  especially  good roads. The truth is that we have not felt the impact of this administration since it took over from the last administration, and we wonder what he is doing with the allocation that he is getting from the federal government, “ he said.

    The Head of Environmental department in the council,  Mr. Abdulrazak Abdulkarim who spoke with journalists attributed the problem of irregular sanitation exercise  by the council to funding,  saying that the leadership of the council is always committed to ensuring a clean and healthy environment for the people of Kuje to live in.

    Abdulkarim further called on the people of Kuje to imbibe the habit of proper waste disposal,  in order for it to be easy for evacuation when the environmental department wants to evacuate them to their permanent dump sites,  saying that when wastes are dumped indiscriminately,  they end up making the environment look unkempt and unhealthy.

    He further cautioned scavengers against spreading refuse on the roads when they are properly disposed,  explaining that most times when waste are properly disposed at designated dump sites,  scavengers are the ones that spread the refuse to the roads and make them constitute nuisance to residents.

  • Community, DISCO meeting deadlocked

    Community, DISCO meeting deadlocked

    A meeting between residents of Igbehin-Adun in Ilasamaja, Mushin, Lagos and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) ended in stalemate.

    There were hot arguments between members of the community, especially the youths, and EKEDC Mushin District officials during the meeting held at Olayinka Close in Ilasamaja on Tuesday.

    Last week, the residents protested what they called the epileptic power supply in their area and “loath-some” billings by EKEDC.

    Their representatives made their grievances known at EKEDC head office on the Marina in Lagos on September 3. They alleged that they were being billed for what they did not consume by the Iyana-Isolo and Idi-Araba districts of EKEDC.

    The EKEDC team was led by the Distribution Manager, Francis Nduka, the Commercial Manager, Kunle Ogunmoroti, and Public Relations Officer Mrs Bola Bayo-Kujore. They were received by the community’s traditional leader, Rasheed Asheni-Irokosu; Omonigbehin Landlord Association’s chairman, Hon Dele Dasaolu and two community leaders, Chief S.K. Daniyan and Alhaji Ganiyu Olukotun.

    An 11-point resolution was tabled before the EKEDC officials.

    Tagged “Committee against EKEDC Injustice and extortion in Ilasamaja and its environs,” the resolution reads: “Rejection of outrageous ‘crazy’ bill in the name of estimated bill. Rejection of incessant power outage from the hours of 7pm till the following morning which makes the environ vulnerable to attack of thieves and armed robbers; rejection of the N750 monthly service charge and demand for the refund of the previous payment; rejection of any payment on prepaid meters through overt or covert means; demand for immediate repair of faulty feeder pillars, transformers and cables serving our environs; demand for free replacement of faulty prepaid meters; declare that we shall pay the sum of N2,000 monthly on energy consumed pending the time prepaid meter will be made available as it is obvious that the present estimated billing is customer unfriendly and killing; declare that EKEDC should write off all accumulated bills from the ‘crazy’ bill and outrageous estimated bill regime; declare that there should not be any distribution of bills and disconnection pending the time issues raised above are resolved; declare that we are law abiding Nigerians ready to pay for energy consumed as long as the right parameters in billing are followed and declare that EKEDC Officials are safe in our environment in the discharge of their statutory duties.”

    Neither party was ready to shift ground after hours of discussions. They have agreed to meet again to resolve the knotty areas.

    Until then, the community leaders urged residents not to pay any electricity bill. EKEDC was enjoined to provide uninterrupted power supply. It was also advised against embarking on disconnection of electricity.

    Although, Nduka promised the community 14-hour daily power supply, but many residents expressed doubt about EKEDC of fulfilling its promise.

    Baale Asheni-Irokosu warned EKEDC against disconnecting light, pending the resolution of the dispute.

    He also assured the EKEDC officials of their safety, describing the residents as peace-loving.

  • JCI fetes Asia business community

    The Junior Chamber International Nigeria (JCIN) has concluded plans to host a business forum – ‘Let’s go to Asia’ on Setember 27, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos.

    Let’s go to Asia is a prelude to the centenary anniversary of JCI holding in Kanazawa, Japan.

    The forum is offers a platform of opportunities to promote business relationships between young Nigerian business leaders and Asian companies.

    On the initiative, JCIN National President Mr Seun Osikalu said: “Our members invest a lot of resources on their various travels around the world for JCI programmes and conferences. These events provide enormous opportunities for our members to establish lifelong relationships and we want our members and interested members of the public to take deliberate advantage of such opportunities. We have partnered with Asian trade and commercial missions in Nigeria to come sell their countries and they are excited at the prospects that the forum offers.”

    Also, the National Director of Business Affairs, Mr Jide Benson said: “We reckon that since a large delegation of our members will be attending the week-long world congress in Kanazawa Japan, which will be an opportunity for direct interaction with business organisations and people in the Asiatic regions – Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, Phillipines, Malaysia, Japan and others – so we thought it fit to be equipped with the right information and knowledge before departure. The region, being the hub for manufacturing and production, has a lot to offer discerning business people.”

    The event is a fee for interested persons and is open to members and non members seeking opportunities to be tapped in Asia and JCI Nigeria is proud to see the need and take the lead.

    The Junior Chamber International is a world federation of  young (community  and business) leaders that provide development opportunities for active citizens to create positive change.

    Entrepreneurship is one of the ideals that the organisation promotes sand the LTGA is geared towards this area.

  • Community urges Fed Govt to tackle N3b landslide

    Community urges Fed Govt to tackle N3b landslide

    Community leaders of Isuochi in Ummunnochi Local Government Area of Abia State have lamented the landslide which has caused much havoc in the settlement, saying it will take over N3b to contain the menace.

    Speaking while conducting reporters round the affected areas the member representing Ummunneochi Constituency at the state House of Assembly, Prince Ikedi Ezekwesili said the landslide was caused by a road project whose contract was awarded by the Niger Delta Ministry.

    Ezekwesili said the community cannot handle the landslide on its own as it will require well over N3 billion to contain.

    The lawmaker  and called on the federal government to either order the contractor back to site of call on the federal ministry of environment to come to their aid.

    Ezekwesili said that the ay the construction company handled the road and drainage construction caused the landslide, adding that the company should come back to site to remedy the situation before more harm will be done to the community.

    He said, “If you look behind you will see the landslide, this landslide was occasioned by improper termination of drainage by the construction company that did this road, ENACO that did this Federal Road between Leru and Nkwoagu.

    It is quit disheartening, you can see it, we appreciated the gesture of the Federal government by giving us his road, but it is very unfortunate and little did we know that the company either they did not do proper Environmental Impact Assessment or they were ordinarily naïve or careless, they could not extend the drainage appropriately.

    If you move down there is a stream, so, if they have extended the drain down properly we would not have seen the landslide that we are seeing today. You can imagine that the length from here now to the road is not up to twenty steps if by the next rain or couple of rains,

    the road will be cut off”.

    Ezekwesili said that despite cutting the road, the Umunnochi Council Secretariat, Isuochi Model secondary school, the  Divisional Police headquarters, the Community’s Unity Square that is under construction and the 7.5MVA Isuochi power Station under the National Integrated

    Power Project (NIPP) are all under the threat of the encroaching landslide.

    He said: “This environment is clearly sandy environment and of cause, a construction company ought to have known the appropriate mechanism or technology or what to do regarding the trend.

    So what we are saying as a people is that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs should step up immediately to find something to do to stop further landslide and of cause the company, we are no longer pretending about our emotions if we don’t see them within one month from now, we will take other actions which may not stop at legal action”.

    Ezekwesili who is the Minority leader in the State House of Assembly regretted that the road project which should have been a source of joy to the community is now turning out to be a bad omen to his community.

    He said, “The project has come to destroy my community, there are over five communities that would be affected by this landslide, this communities may not last in the next five years from now if something urgent is not done about this ugly situation.

    They may not, five years may be  a long time, if this could happen within a space of two years of this road construction, it means that in the next two years it would have gone further and may wash away the five communities’ .

    In his own reaction the Vice president of Isuochi Development Union, Elder Sunday Ekeh, said that they have we have been crying over danger posed to the communities in these local government by landslide.

    Elder Ekeh recalled that last year the former Senator for Abia North senatorial District, Late Comrade Uche Chukwumereije had to take the photograph of the affected area to Abuja and nothing came out of it.

    He said, “We are crying aloud now because if the rain continues the way it has been raining now, the level of devastation that it would cause the community would be calamitous”.

  • New look for community health centre

    New look for community health centre

    Irked by the deplorable state of the public health centre at Ibafon community in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ogun State, two groups, Sahara Group and Ovoteri Limited have carried out reconstruction work on the health centre.

    Before the renovation exercise, the building showed signs of dilapidation, so much so that the walls looked dirty, dirty; malodorous and boasts obsolete equipment, with minimal manpower. But after the renovation, the once putrid structure radiates beauty, modern equipment, borehole, power generating set and car park, among other modern facilities. The gesture was part of the company’s corporate social responsibilities to the community and its residents.

    The project was in two phases. The first phase comprised structural renovation which entailed removal of the worn out tiles, painting, replacement of the ceiling sheets, sinking of borehole, fixing of toilet seats, doors and door handles, while the second phase consists of supplies of the needed equipment in the health centre.

    Hitherto, the health centre which has only six bed spaces opens during the week days and closes at the weekend due to various factors such as unavailability of water, lack of electricity supply and lack of a power generating set. Currently, the health centre has been well equipped both in terms of facilities and personnel. Both members of staff and the resident doctors are eager to provide 24-hour services for the patients.

    One of the resident doctors, Mrs Islamiyya Baruwa, a Corps member said she is willing to stay back after her service year to work at the health centre because a lot of things have changed positively since the renovation was carried out.

    “Initially, I had no desk to work on. Also the instruments were outdated. For example, there is an instrument for measuring heart rate, pulses and some other things but the one I saw when I came could not take the readings together. It will take them separately which wastes time. But now, reverse is the case because I can check more people in less time than before,” Baruwa said.

    Representative of Sahara Group, Mr Tomiwa Adesida and the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility said the company is very grateful to the community for allowing them to operate without any hostility.

    He said the gesture was their own way of appreciating and giving back to the community, aside from employing the locals to work in their oil farm.

    “We are very grateful to this community for accepting us in their midst for so many years. It is a great honour to be in your midst because residents of Ibafon community are very friendly and co-operative; which is why we are inaugurating this project,” he said.

    The Corporate Business Manager, Ovoteri Limited Mr Charles Zuokemefa said the company intends to identify some of the needs of the community and partner with companies that will help to satisfy the needs. He said the government cannot provide the needs of the community, hence interventions such as these are necessary, adding that: “Sahara Group has collaborated with us to satisfy some of the needs of the community.”

    Continuing, Zuokemefa said: “It is very challenging for the government to build, run and maintain these facilities, which is why interventions by corporate bodies such as Sahara and Ovoteri go a long way in keeping these facilities operational and functional.”

    Executive Secretary, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area, Mr Tajudeen Ijora thanked the companies for their gesture, even as he urged other organisations to come to their aid. He implored inhabitants to utilise the services provided in the centre and asked them to see it as their property.

    In a chat with Southwest Report, the Chief Nursing Officer of the clinic, Mrs Celia Oluborode said: “Before it was renovated, we used to have little or no patients but now we have more people coming for treatments and antenatal clinics. We are happy about this and we are also planning to provide 24-hour service.”

    A resident of the area, Mr Musiliu Bala said: “I was delivered of my two children in this health centre when it was still in a shambles but now I am glad that it has been given a beautiful facelift.”

    Another resident, Mrs Chioma Eze said: “Though am still in my second trimester, I cannot wait to use this facility when I am due to give birth because I have seen new equipment which has imbued the confidence in me and the of safety of my baby.”

    Dignitaries who attended the event included the Medical Officer of the local government, Dr Disu Oyewoga,  Balogun of Ibafon land who represented the Baale, Chief Hassan Kayode, the Otunba of Ibafon land, Chief Femi Oropo, the Iyaoloja of Ibafon land, Alhaja Bilikis Adeola and some representatives of the Ibafon Community Development Association, among others.

     

  • Community policing the way to go, says Ogunsakin

    The outgoing Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in zone 6, Calabar , Tunde Ogunsakin, has called for community policing.

    AIG Ogunsakin spoke after he visited the Vice Chancellor of the  University of Calabar, Prof  James Ekpoke at the weekend.

    He said the  visit is to strenghten the relationship between the police and the  university community, adding that  community policing was the way to go. Ogunsakin said  police would always work with the university to ensure peace.

    Ekpoke  said the school has enjoyed a smooth  relationship with the  police.

    “Our relationship with command and  AIG’s office is perfect in terms of dealing .The relationship has helped  to nip riots in the bud. Since the last riot in the  school in 2011, the school has  been relatively peaceful. Where there is community policing, you  hardly see crime in such places.”

    He presented an award of excellence to the AIG.

  • Community youths beat up man harassing girl

    A thirty-five-year-old and father of three in Mkpuma, Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Ejike Nwuzor, was at the weekend, caught by villagers for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl.

    Nwuzor was caught by a farmer, Oliver Nwegede, who said he was working on his farm when he saw Ejike harassing the girl.

    Nwegede said the girl’s scream attracted him.

    “The girl was struggling with Nwuzor, crying and begging him to leave her. So instead of coming out immediately to rescue her, I hid very well in the bush.

    “Nwuzor overpowered the girl and this forced me out of the bush but before I could come out, another man, who might have heard the cry, stormed the scene.

    “We took Nwuzor while we got cloth from some women in the farm to cover the victim’s nakedness because her clothes were already torn and then we reported to the villagers,” he said.

    The youths paraded Nwuzor round the community, forcing him to dance to disgraceful songs which they chanted. The show lasted for four hours.

    He was later tortured by the elders who demanded that he offset the victim’s medical bill with a threat to ostracise him if caught in such dastardly act again.

    Narrating her ordeal, the victim said she was returning from an errand and at a lonely place, she heard someone whisper.

    “I suddenly saw Ejike Nwuzor Okemini after the whisper; he dragged me into a corner of the bush and told me to pull off my clothes, which I refused.

    “Because I did not agree, he started tearing my clothes and pounced on me. A man who saw us ran to the scene and nabbed him. Another man joined and arrested him and got clothes from a woman for me”, the girl said.

    Police spokesman Chris Anyanwu said he was yet to receive official report on the matter.

  • ‘Ajegunle not notorious community’

    Crime in Ajegunle, a Lagos community, has reduced drastically, a former local government chairman has said.

    Mr Kamal Bayewu, former Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government Area chairman, was speaking at the Ajeromi Ifelodun 2015 Community Day and Award. Some members of the community were honoured on the occasion.

    He said the perception that Ajegunle is only for negative things should be discarded, noting that youths from the area have excelled in various fields.

    “People see Ajegunle as a never do well area, it is when people move closer to us, they found out that we are very hospitable, we have resources and talents abundantly here,” he said.

    He said Ajegunle is relatively peaceful because of the cooperation with law enforcement agents to flush out criminals.

    ‘’This area is a highly cosmopolitan community and I can say it that almost every part of West African states is represented here. There is no tribe that is not represented in Ajeromi/Ifelodun council.

    ‘’We must all work towards the development of the community. We should pay less attention to what we benefit individually. Today, we are coming together to speak with one voice, to debunk wrong impression and put the record straight about Ajegunle,” he said.’

    Bayewu said when he was in office, he ensured that roads were constructed and rehabilitated.

    He said: ‘’I built roads, there is none of our CDAs where roads were not provided, linking the communities. Notwithstanding, we still have challenges of roads, we still need state government presence in terms of roads and other facilities.

    ‘’We need at least four highway roads, which they have given us one. We need these roads in Mosafejo, Kirikiri, Ojo road and Mba areas. If we have them in place, Ajegunle will be open up to people and development.

    ‘’We are so close to development, but we remain underdeveloped. We are close to Apapa, Surulere and Lagos Island. These surrounding communities are well developed but Ajegunle remain behind despite its contribution to the country.’’

    He maintained that Ajegunle has one of the best tourist attractions, supported by the provision of educational facilities.

    ‘’In Tolu community alone, here alone you have over 41 schools. This is what should be commended and encouraged. I must say again that there is no threat in term of security because, the society has reflected flushed out those fomenting trouble.’’

  • Community gets diocesan priest

    History was made in Umuchukwu, Anambra State as their kinsman Rev. Fr. Kingsley Ibeh was ordained Catholic priest by the Auxiliary Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Jonas Benson Okoye at St. Jude’s Catholic Church, Umuchukwu.

    During the homily, Bishop Okoye reminded the new priest of the cardinal mission of priesthood in the light of the Second Vatican Council. He told him to be prayerful at all times, minister to the people of God and guide them to holiness as well as remain obedient to the Bishop and his successors.

    The Bishop commended the people of Umuchukwu, especially the USA-based Dr. Godwin Maduka who has done so much for the town. He said he represented what philanthropy should be, recognizing that he has done so much for the town without being overbearing.

    The bishop also commended the former governor of the State, Mr. Peter Obi for his selfless service to the State, which, as he noted, he has continued even after being the governor.

    In his vote of thanks, the Parish Priest of the Parish, Fr. Maximus Muoneke thanked all present, especially Bishop Okoye who performed his first episcopal ordination with the ordaining of Fr. Ibeh.  He thanked Gov. Obi for the great things he did in Umuchukwu when he was the governor, including the construction of the roads in the town. He thanked the congregation and people of Umuchukwu for their great support.

    As for Dr. Godwin Maduka, he said : “In a special way, we appreciate our great brother, Dr. Godwin Mauka, for his colossal contributions in the development of Umuchukwu town, especially our Parish. He provided the major sum of money for this ordination and donated the car for the newly ordained. May God bless him and his entire family.”