Okunchi Community: when the water runs dry

The local people of Okunchi face the harshest experience of water scarcity. Throughout the year, the locals had to either fetch from the river in the rainy season or climb the mountains to the rocky cliffs, beating through the thicket for possible 'fetch' of few buckets of water in the dry season.

EbiraView arrived okunchi through Idichegede at about 8:30am on the 5th of January, 2007. A child was met in a home as he received treatment from a sudden attack of diarrhoea after his few days of arriving home from Lagos for the Sallah festival. Upon request for water, our team was shocked to see a brownish looking liquid served in a cup. This is the type of water the people of Okunchi drink.

They vote. They have representatives in the local and state government but they are not properly represented. Just like in every other part of Ebiraland, water as a necessity of life has always been neglected. No government in Ebira has so far thought of solution to this problem that threatens the health of Ebira people. Even as few communities of Ebiraland are graced with few pipe-borne water, the water is pumped occassionally. This time, you find Ebira ladies and kiddies carrying various containers as they set out for the golden liquid from the government pipe. Thus, Ebiras depend most on rivers, ponds and rain water for their water need.

Our (kid) guide to the mountain

With the help of a kid guide, we climbed the mountain from which the community gets its daily drink. Along the way, we met women returning from the 'water bank', while children bore kegs of water, too. The fetchers were stunned as we approached a group of young ladies sitting on rocks and chatting in wait for ther 'turn' to fetch. It was indeed a pitiful sight. Most of these girls needed to fill virtually every water container in their; a task that requires many trips to and from the mountain, through bush paths and cliffs.

Fetchers returning from the water ponds


People fetching water


Fetchers


As if it didn't matter, a masquerader (eku) named 'Onuvu' thrilled the villagers as it parades, chased and danced round the community requesting tokens from them. It posed for ebiraView snapshot on sighting our camera.

A Masquerade (Eku) named 'Onuvu' entertaining the community

Since the harmattan winds are yet to clear off Ebiraland, the Okunchis need to defy the harsh weather and risk the cliffs as long as water remains their necessity.

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