Entertainment

Leading Reporters learnt that the several buildings, structures and roads have been destroyed, while over 100,000 persons have been displaced by the menace of gully erosion ravaging communities in Anambra State, South-East.
Leading Reporters also gathered that some of the communities mostly ravaged by the disaster include: Oba community in Idemili South Local Government Area, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Onitsha Inland in Onitsha North Local Government Area, Awada, Nkpor and Obosi communities in Idemili North Local Government Area, as well as Atani and Okpoko communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area, among several others.

One of the roads currently being ravaged by the disaster is the Onitsha-Owerri Road, which has become a nightmare to road users, because the erosion devastation has completely cut off one lane of the ever busy road.

The Onitsha-Owerri Expressway connects other South-East states and some parts of the South-South and recently, a devastating erosion cut off one lane of the busy expressway at Oba community, and since the incident happened in July, 2023, it has become a nightmare for road users.

The Agulu-Nanka Road axis and Alor-Nnobi Road have also been badly affected by the disaster, a situation that has attracted both national and international visitors and several others to the plight of road users.

Among the structures under serious erosion threat are the popular Rojeeny Games Village, Tansian University, and a multi-million naira plastics company located in Oba, near the Onitsha-Owerri Road.

Already, churches, schools, shops and several residential buildings worth billions of naira, including several failed roads in the inner communities, have been destroyed completely by the erosion menace.

However, both the federal and state governments are tackling few of the erosion menace in the state, such as the one along the Onitsha-Owerri road and some other major roads in the state.

This is just as the state Commissioner for Environment, Felix Odimegwu, has disclosed that no fewer than 160 out of 179 communities in Anambra State are currently grappling with the imminent threat posed by erosion gullies.

Odimegwu disclosed this while speaking at an award night organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Awka branch, recently.

Odimegwu averred that the ravaging erosion menace across the state is caused by actions and inactions of the residents, which he said require collective efforts and expertise to control.

Emphasising the urgent need for collective action and expertise to mitigate the impact of the erosion menace, the commissioner added that negligence would undoubtedly continue exacerbating the environmental vulnerabilities.

He, however, applauded the ongoing rehabilitation works going on at some of the erosion sites, facilitated by the governor of the state, Chukwuma Soludo,  and emphasised the positive strides made in the ministry.

He said, “No fewer than 160 out of 179 communities in Anambra State are currently grappling with the imminent threat posed by erosion gullies.

“Environment is everybody’s business. Looking at what is happening in the state today, the ecological problems we are facing, it is high time we all took responsibility for our actions and our inactions.

“And the engineers must play their roles and ensure the right thing is done at every point in time, especially in the areas of the design and construction of buildings, because unsustainable designs and unprofessional construction are parts of the major causes of these environmental challenges.”

South-East PUNCH correspondent, who visited various erosion sites on Tuesday and Wednesday, gathered that a three-storey building and a school constructed close to the gully at Nkisi-Aroli Street at Onitsha Inland community, a highly populated area, recently caved in as the erosion had continued to expand.

Following the development, residents who spoke to our correspondent in separate interviews, said more buildings have been submerged while many occupants have been displaced and their belongings destroyed.

A septuagenarian and retired educationist, Onwa Chukwudili, told South-East PUNCH correspondent that he had suffered serious hardship in the past three years due to the erosion.

Chukwudili stated, “I thank God that I am still surviving, and I thank the state government for the much it has done, but as you can see, the calamity is not over yet, as it is rapidly ravaging properties.

“I thank our monarch and the town union’s leadership for the relief items they have so far provided for the victims. The state government has diverted the water channel from the main erosion gully site, but it has yet to be sealed. That is our concern now.”

Another resident of the area, Amechi Emenike, urged the state government to rescue them from the area, adding, “We want a proactive measure, not political promises made by past administrations.”

A community leader and President-General, Onitsha Development Union, Chikwuma Ugwu, told our correspondent that since the erosion started in late 2019 and became severe in 2020, they had approached the various arms of the government to no avail.

He added, “Our monarch has done a lot too, by using his influence at a time when the then Minister of State for Environment, as well as officials of Anambra State government visited the site.

“Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project officials and even government officials were here to look at it. The governor had some compassion and he started a palliative measure.”

He, however, appealed to Governor Soludo to complete the work and desilt the Nkisi River for the stream to flow freely, while tasking the Federal Government for support.

It was tales of woes of devastation caused by the erosion from farmers and residents of other communities visited by South-East PUNCH in Atani and Okpoko communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area.

A resident and a farmer in the community, who gave her name as Chinwe Ozor, said the area is presently battling the existential threat from the menace, adding that a torrential rain some months ago, caused the collapse of a two-storey building there; another two-storey building caved in at the peak of the 2022 rainy season

Ozor said, “This erosion started about four years ago, and the community has done everything humanly possible to checkmate it. We have spent several millions of naira with the collaborative efforts of people in the Diaspora and some of our members in the House of Assembly, but up till now, there is no hope to the end yet as there still more work to be done.

“No intervention whatsoever has come to us either from the Federal or state government. Although, recently, the state government has started some rehabilitation works, but it is still a far cry to the devastation caused by the menace.

“Year 2024 is around the corner and every efforts should be intensified to ensure this menace is tackled head-on. Our farmlands have also been destroyed by this erosion and as it is now, we don’t know where we are going to farm during the 2024 farming season.”

Another farmer from Atani in Ogbaru LGA, Marcel Okonkwo, who conducted our correspondent around the erosion site in the community, said, “Ogbaru is an agrarian community, and it is a major farm settlement in Anambra State, and also famous in fish production.

“The menace of erosion has made life unbearable for us. Many buildings as well as Atani Community Primary School have almost been cut off from the community due to the disaster.

“We have seen hell because of gully erosion, and we can no longer control it. Some government officials have been here in the past but after visiting us, they never did anything.

“We are begging Governor Chukwuma Soludo and the Federal Government to please save us from this impending disaster. We have serious ecological challenge that demands urgent intervention. Since 51 years ago when I was born, my community has been under threat of erosion. We also produce cassava and palm oil in large quantities, but erosion menace is not allowing us meet our full potential.

“Teachers and health workers reject postings to the community due to bad road, and it has serious implications on our people. On our own, we have done our best with the support of our people in the Diaspora. We are now overwhelmed. This is ecological disaster.”

The monarch of the community, Igwe Joseph Nwafor described the situation as very worrisome, while decrying the ripple effects of erosion menace and bad road on the community.

Meanwhile, the Senator representing Anambra Central zone, Chief Victor Umeh, after visiting the erosion sites recently, tabled the matter at plenary in the Senate under matters of urgent national importance.

Lamenting the plight of people of the South East, Umeh said, “There is no guarantee that the other lane on the Onitsha-Owerri road will survive the pressure. Many factories and houses are already collapsing and people working in those companies will suddenly lose their jobs unless emergency work is done to the erosion scourge in the area.

“This is a major gateway to the Eastern part of Nigeria. The second Niger Bridge is not far from here and all the vehicles coming from the Western part of the country into the South-East and South-South states pass through this road. This is why urgent action is needed.

“Almost every community in the state is threatened by erosion. The South-East is small in size and, regrettably, we are losing even

A visually-impaired student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Precious Mbajiorgu, who was recently honoured by the West African Examination Council as the best candidate (physical disability category) in the 2002 Senior School Certificate Examination, tells IKENNA OBIANERI losing her sight at 11 influenced her

Can you remember how you lost your sight?

My name is Precious Mbajiorgu. I am from Oborisiala in the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State. I am 28 years old. I am currently a 100-level student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

I was not born blind. I used to see perfectly when I was a child until I turned 11. It happened between 2007 and 2008, but I cannot remember the exact day. I just went to school that fateful day. Back then, I was a pupil at Awada Primary School, Obosi, near Onitsha. It was in that school that I became visually impaired. My classmates and I were in the classroom solving mathematics on the board. I had answered the first maths question and was about to go to the next question when suddenly, I discovered that I could not see the board anymore and could no longer see other things. Everywhere became dark.

Did you have any challenges with your sight before then?

But before then, I did not feel any symptoms or pain in my eyes. It was like a mystery that I have yet to understand to date.

What did you do afterwards?

I called the attention of my class teacher and when she came, she said something might have entered my eyes. She helped me wash my eyes with water while my other classmates were just there waiting for me to open my eyes and see again, but I could not see anymore.

I visited many hospitals, and after diagnosis, the doctors told me that there was nothing wrong with my sight and that they did not see any defect, yet I could not see with my eyes. That was how I managed the situation till I got to SS2 in 2012 and could not go further. So, I stopped going to school until 2018 when a group of evangelists came to my place and told me about Oji River Special Education Centre. They took me there where I took remedial courses using learning equipment such as typewriters and other technological tools and after that, I enrolled at St John of God Secondary School in Awka where I started from SS1 to complete my secondary education.

Can you describe what went through your mind when you realised that you had gone blind?

Inside me, I said, “No, this is not me.” It was like a mystery to me, just like someone being in the light and suddenly finding themselves in darkness for no apparent reason. I was just like someone in a void, in another space. I was just wondering, a lot was going on in my mind, because in our lineage, there is no history of eye problems, even the oldest person in my family, who is over 100 years, sees clearly.

How did you adapt to the new development?

By the grace of God, I adapted to the new situation and I accepted my fate. I moved on and continued my life. This was after a lot of concerns and thinking. Here I am today still carrying on.

How many hospitals did you visit and what were the specific things that the doctors said could be responsible for the blindness?

We went to many hospitals, so I cannot remember how many hospitals we went to. One of the hospitals we went to was in Bonny Camp, Lagos, where the doctors after examining my eyes, told me that they did not see anything wrong with my eyes. So, they gave me some drugs and I went home. But despite that, there was no change. Later, a reverend father in my community took me to a specialist eye clinic in Owerri, (Imo State) and after everything, they said that there was nothing wrong with my eyes. But some years later, some foreign doctors who came to our community to examine eye patients, after examining my eyes, said I had glaucoma.

Did that come to you as a surprise?

I wondered why I would have glaucoma because there was nothing like that in my family; we don’t even have cataracts in my family. At that point, one of my uncles asked them what the remedy was or whether we could go for eye surgery, but the doctors said no. The doctors said I didn’t need eye surgery and that if they did it, I would still not see with my eyes and that the surgery would create another problem. That was how we quit the idea of eye surgery and I have been managing it since then by using drugs each time I feel pain. In the early stage, I used to buy the drugs for about N3,500, but now, it is very expensive and scarce and I cannot get it any more due to financial constraints. I am just dealing with the pain each time it comes.

Do you still go for a medical checkup?

I no longer do that because there is no money for it anymore. My father died suddenly and his death contributed to stopping my routine medical checkups as my mother cannot afford it.

Did you feel depressed at any point and how did you manage it?

Yes, and on those occasions, I go to God in prayers and sometimes, I sit down and meditate deeply. When I remembered my peers who were not in the condition I am and what they were doing, it worried me. I came out of the depression the day I entered into prayer and asked God, “Am I going to be useless in life?” I said no, I don’t want to be useless, so, from that day, I started proclaiming that I am not going to be useless in life and it became my slogan till today and by the grace of God, here am I. Growing up, I used to think that only the aged went blind. So, when I became visually impaired, I saw myself as the only young person in that condition, so when God gave me the grace to come out of my shell to see other visually impaired people who are doing well in their various fields of endeavour, I told myself that I could also be successful despite my condition. So, I picked myself up, dusted my clothes, stepped out and moved on.

Did you receive any special training when you lost your sight?

No special training apart from the remedial courses I went for where I learnt the use of typewriters, braille and other tools for learning and writing. I also learnt how to socialise with people and move around with people without anybody aiding me. In my locality, I can move around, with nobody holding me. I can make use of the learning equipment and I can communicate with people with boldness and no fear. I also learnt good behaviour and discipline, including how to cohabit with people with disabilities and how to live my life without obstacles or whatever. Those were the things I was taught in the remedial school.

When did you receive an offer of admission from UNIZIK?

I was offered admission in March 2023 to study Guidance and Counselling.

Was that what you chose or was it just given to you?

It was the course I chose for myself. At one point, I said I would study Law to fight all the people who forcefully took over my father’s landed property and that I was going to take them to court to collect my father’s land, but when I wanted to enter into the university, I discovered that it was not my calling. I discovered that my calling was counselling. So, I needed to retrace my steps. That was how I dropped the idea of studying Law. I had Guidance and Counselling on my mind right from my SS1 and that was what I chose while filling in my Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board form.

Related News

 Lagos pays N4.2bn WAEC fees in four years – Sanwo-Olu

 School owners laud WAEC computer-based exams

 WAEC begins computer based exams 2024

Did you find it easy moving around the school and familiarising yourself with its environment?

Sponsored Stories

Most Android Users Didn’t Know How To Block Ads (Do It Now!)Blocking ads is a quick way to speed up browsing, lower data usage and save battery on your Android!Sponsored | expertsonsecurity.com

One thing is that I am a social person; I socialise a lot. So, it was not that hard for me. As soon as I got to UNIZIK, I made some friends who have been helpful to me.

How are you coping with studying in a university as a blind student?

I will say it has not been easy. I can’t see, but there are many eyes around me and they are always there for me whenever I find things difficult. In the financial aspect, there are challenges. If it costs sighted students N100,000 to get something done, it costs visually impaired students N500,000 because whatever we do, as visually impaired students costs money; our learning aids are costly. I don’t have a recorder and I need to get one to record notes while a lecturer teaches in class. I need to record it and be able to listen to it on my own. I don’t have a recorder and I seriously need one but I don’t have the money to buy one and some other important valuable things that can help me in my learning. I also need a sponsor. At the moment, paying rent, school fees, and covering my transportation has been extremely challenging for me. For instance, I used to pay N150 from my lodge to the classrooms, but now, I pay as much as N300 every day. I spend over N700 on transportation alone.

What is your daily routine like as a visually impaired student?

I wake up in the morning and I pray to my God. I have always determination, focus and perseverance, at the back of my mind.

Have you ever faced any stigmatisation, abuse or molestation from people at school?

Not really. The thing is that everybody is not going to be good and everybody is not going to be bad. Some people misbehave sometimes; they know that a person is visually impaired but they still deliberately bump against them and ask them whether they can’t see. We face a lot of ill-treatment daily and that is why perseverance is one of my watchwords daily because, in such a situation, one needs to persevere.

How would you describe your marriage?

The best words that can capture my marriage are that I have a peaceful marriage and I have an understanding spouse. My marriage has also been an easy-going one. I don’t have a celebrity marriage because in my house there is no celebrity, and when I run my home, I don’t run my home like a celebrity because I don’t let it get to my head.

How did you meet your wife and how long did you two court?

I met my wife in 2013 and we got married in 2015. We dated for two years. I met my wife through a friend. She was the one who officially introduced her to me in Asaba.

At what point did you realise she was the right one for you?

Before I got married to my wife, it was hard for me to spend time with ladies. Typically, after two- or three-days body don dey bite me. I don dey tire but when I met my wife, I found out that we bonded.

She could stay in my house for two or three days and I wouldn’t want her to go. When she was on holiday, she’d come to spend some time with me and I grew fond of her and always wanted her around. She didn’t give me pressure.

The thing is the support she gives to me is enormous. She supports me. She has been supported me before I even became famous. She has always wanted to see me grow.

She knew that I was going to become somebody someday. She always supported me. She was the one that opened my Instagram page for me. She made sure I dressed well for events. She also critiqued my movies. At that point, I knew that this was what I wanted. She filled the spot of my mom who had passed.

What is your advice for unmarried people who are unsure if their partners are right for them?

Related News

 Etinosa, Nosa Rex team up for Edo festival, award in London

 I eat what I’m familiar with while abroad – Nosa Rex

 Actor Nosa Rex, wife mark seventh wedding anniversary

I don’t like to always advise when it comes to marriage because marriage has no manual. However, if I must advise, I would say they should take it show, try and observe their partners and while you are doing that, don’t go and be looking for a perfect partner.

Just understand that it is two people from different worlds coming together to find peace and start living together. Be patient. Take it easy. No matter how people try to pretend, it will always come out. Time is going to unravel everything and above all put everything in prayer because God is all you need. It is God that will direct you.

Has your entertainment career had any impact on your marriage? 

Firstly, I started acting before I got married. My career has impacted me in a positive light because I have lived most of my life on-screen.

I see what people go through which means I have lots of experience so I try not to make the mistake. I try to learn from people. I don’t let the entertainment affect it negatively, I only take the positive side.

Do you think anything has changed with the perception of marriage in recent times?

I would say yes. I have noticed that people are no longer patient, and people marry for the wrong reasons. I have noticed that people rush in because they see that people are rushing in. I have noticed that people do not even want to understand how marriage works. People are now more concerned about weddings, activities, and the title. That is what I feel like it is affecting us

Did tribal differences play any role in your marriage?

Our tribal differences have no role in my marriage. I am from Benin, Edo State. My wife is from Umuahia, Abia State.

We had no issue even when people had their perceptions about our tribes, and that is because I married from a Christian family. My wife’s parents were not concerned about where I am from as they were about my faith. For them, it was more like religion above tradition.