Okene: When the water runs dry

Ismail M. Kabir

In 2007, I told a story of my experience when I trekked uphill the Okunchi mountain top (click here for story). The strenuous hike not withstanding, I was deeply touched by the sight of feeble women and mal-nourished children laden with heavy duty gallons and water kegs descending the mountain at early hour of the morning. Upon reaching the water source, I nearly broke down in tears at the sight of long queue of weary-looking women, girls and boys waiting for their 'turn' to fetch a brownish looking water from a small dug-out pond.

Today, water scarcity remains a major challenge faced by Ebira communities despite availability of about 3 major water stations; Osara Dam (Adavi LGA), Ekuku Dam and Okene Water works, the people can hardly enjoy this basic necessity of life as the water sources remain under-utilized by successive local and state governments.

Women and children now trek long distances in search of water except during Rainy season in a community that was the second to own tap water after Lagos, in the early 90s.

Comments

Ebira Names and their meaning, Names, Meanings, Sex

Asimi: If mankind will allow me the survival of this child. F Ajimituhuo: Spare me today till tomorrow, which day metaphorically continues till eternity (since tomorrow has no end). M Avidime: The initiator who work is subsequently perfected by those following him in life. M Asipita: A child of History. M Amewuru: The harbinger of confusion, or the man who causes chaos. M Adeku: Father of masquerade. M Adabara: Father of the compound. M Adajinege: The tallest of them. M Adavize: Father is wealth. M Adeiza: Father of fortune/gift/kindness. M Adomuha: Father of able body man. M Adooro: The one that is a stumbling block Ahovi: A chief custodian of the traditional Oracle. M Aduvo: Father of hand. M Ajooze: The one standing on the way. M Adinoyi: The father of the multitude who serves as a protective umbrella shielding others in need of such protection. M Adaviruku: Name usually given to the heir of the family. M Ajinomo: In memory of Ebira war with the Fukanis where...

The case of Ahmed Awela, Murtala (Eti Bobo) among other Ebira youths

Ismail M. Kabir, Lagos. Between controversial existence and a contentious exit. There are various sides to a story. For an event that happens with few or no significant eye witness, the news come in different versions; some partially correct, others completely cooked up. In some cases, such non-witnessed event pass round as rumour until eventually confirmed. Rumour it was, when a phone call from Okene announced the death of two famous Ebira youths! They were killed by the Police, reported the news. Being on a Sunday when nothing too special should ensue save for the usual church services and social functions, the news sounded as the most unexpected, as a matter of fact, incredible! The thought of losing such youths on an ordinary day like Sunday undoubtedly was the reason for the astonishment. Not a single person of Ebira origin, within or outside the soil would believe such shocker upon first hearing. Text messages, phone calls and of course physical enquiries lingered, all in an atte...

The Obege legend

In the earliest generations when the art of magic was yet a myth to the people, there was born a boy into a family of hunters in the village of Eika - one of the six communities that comprised the ancestral groups. He was believed to have been born with a leaf in his hand and to the elders of then, that was prognostic of what he would be - a native healer. And had grown up performing wonders. His kinsmen were all hunters, they would deny the boy the opportunity to follow them hunting, purely on age ground - and he was really too young to go hunting in the forest. They would leave him in the house with the women as they set out on their hunting expedition. But they had meet the young Obege in the forest roasting a fair member of the forest’s game, all alone - and unarmed! The elders had to defer to this wonderful boy. Obege as an adult was more than human. His fame had spread all over the land: he was a healer of most seemingly incurable diseases, he was a rain maker, assumed more divin...

Images of Ebiraland

Search This Blog