The Imo State Governor Prince Eze Madumere has visited a spring not only steeped in history but also believed to have life-enhancing properties.
It is located in Amuzi community, itself famous for its lush vegetation.
Iyi in Igbo means a stream while Ehi means a cow.
Madumere the Amuzi Spring or Ishi Ehi stream to savour its awe and make a personal enquiry into its rich history and weigh its value to the people and the state.
According to a legend, a wealthy member of the community built a house on a rock, where the spring has its source. The man had plenty cattle, one of which one day broke off the water source cap. The water came rushing out and has continued to flow ever since.
Many believe that the legendary Amuzi spring water is then reason for the longevity of the residents.
The oldest man in the community died at the age of 135, while it is said that the average age of the people is 80 or 90 years.
This angle of the community’s history was made available to the deputy governor and his entourage by a renowned leader of the community, Hon. Chief Innocent Okporo whose father’s house, Late Chief Lawrence Okpokoro, sits at about 200 feet above the water source.
Hon. Okporo is the Government Liason Officer of Amuzi and former Special Adviser, Security to Gover nor Rochas Okorocha. He is the current chairman of Board of Directors, Imo Development Finance and Investment Company Limited.
Responding to Deputy Governor’s question on the longevity legend, Mrs. Ngozi Ihekworo, 60, said she has drunk the spring water from her childhood.
She said she also her laundry at the stream.
She said she married into Amuzi from a neighbouring village.
The water source which flows from below spectacular layers of rock, is described as the purest water source within the environs, even purer that any borehole water or table water. This was confirmed by Mr. Joseph Umoru, a natural water enthusiast, and a beverages and soft drink specialist. It was Mr. Umoru who brought the information on the spring to the desk of the deputy governor.
According to the Technical Assistant to the Deputy Governor, the water source sits at an estimated 65 meters or over 200 feet below ground level. It has about four water sources flowing from same basin under a huge high rock.
In what looked like a typical sci-fi movie in the Discovery Channel or the famous Nigerian Gulder Ultimate Search expedition, the deputy governor descended into the steep valley with his entourage. The descent into the valley is a breathtaking long journey that requires a proper firm grip of your foot on the slippery steep stairs. A little slip of feet will send you crashing down to 200 feet below ground level. Climbing up was even more tricky than ever, and it required high exhaustion of energy to make it out. Hon. Okporo who led the expedition told the deputy governor that he last dared tried going to the water mouth to fetch decades ago when he was still much younger.
At the foot of the water source, the deputy governor met members of the community fetching water and doing their laundry. Children also played around, but the valley was quiet and has the serenity of the “Valley of Life”, the types found in places like Israel and Palestine.
Speaking to his audience at the foot of the rock and Ishi Eyi spring water, the number two citizen of Imo State said he was fascinated by the report brought to his desk by Mr. Joseph Umoru.
Prince Madumere informed his audience that the purpose of his mission to the spring with his technical team is to see how government can improve the welfare of the people by helping them have access the water in large volume without having to climb the steep valley, and while developing the water mouth into a source of tourism.
Continuing, the deputy governor’s assistant on technical matters, Mr. Alba said to achieve the feat will require the installation of a boaster to increase hydro pressure powerful enough to take the water to the high level surface. It will also require the installation of water treatment unit and other facilities that will make life easy for the people who drink from the water source.
In their appreciation message to the deputy governor, the community represented by the expedition leader, Hon. Innocent Okpokoro and the CLO of the community, Mr. Emma Okpokoro thanked the Rescue Mission Government led by Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha for its grassroot-oriented development programme. They described Gov. Okorocha’s deputy, Prince Eze Madumere as a thorough leader who cashes in any opportunity to improve the welfare of the rural people. They asked God to give the governor another opportunity come the 2015 elections to consolidate on the development strides the governor has embarked on in the state, especially in Okigwe zone while promising their support in totality.
