It was a warm Saturday afternoon, when I visited the picturesque town of Akwukwu Igbo in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State. As I drove on the hills, all I saw was beauty and the green plantation, lush yam farms kissed the skies. Miles and miles away I saw the glorious River Niger, flowing in its endless beauty. The picturesque outlook of Akwukwu Igbo was more beautiful than the Yorkshiredales and for me it told a story of resilience. The Akwukwu Igbo people had migrated in the 13 Century after the oppression by the Benin King and they moved to Owerri. Hence they picked up Igbo before they finally settled across the Niger in the fertile and idyllic landscape.
They set up their traditional systems there and made it home and they lived there for many years.
On entering the town I saw buildings that had stood over 100 years. I saw the home of Pa Sam Jibunoh, the father of desert warrior, Newton Jibunoh. He lived from 1890-1942.He was a successful plantation owner and was one of the first persons to own a car in the community.
I went to visit the three oldest persons in the town, a 92 -year- old, a 96-year-old, but I couldn’t visit the 102-year old. I met the 92-year-old taking an afternoon stroll. I guess he had walked about three kilometres before I met him. I told him that he didn’t look his age and he laughed. We broke Kola nut and offered prayers. Then I visited the 96-year-old that had just come back from the farm. He still works about six hours on the farm every day. I was just amazed sitting with a man close to 100 years, looking fit, no wrinkles; he wore no glasses and we discussed for hours about the civil war.
He told us about the war and said Akwukwu Igbo was the safest part during the war and many people from Asaba came there. But at a time a village bully called Jota, had gone to inform the federal troops that Akwukwu Igbo was harbouring Igbos and the troops came to attack the town. The town was saved by the intervention of an indigene of the village who called Gowon to debunk the story. The Nigerian Army also set up an hospital in the village to treat their wounded soldiers because it was safe.
As we continued, he told us a first-hand experience of the Asaba massacre victims that ran to Akwukwu Igbo and how they heard regular loud noise from the shelling across the Niger, throughout the war. He closed by affirming that war is a bad thing and the suffering was unparalleled. They had not still recovered from the war.
He also completed the story of Jota, the village bully who finally became a pastor and died on the Altar. It was indeed and experience driving through most parts of Oshimili North and I learnt that the strength of Nigeria is the informal sector and all people truly want is to provide the amenities of life for them. I hardly saw well- equipped hospitals around there and I wondered what is the government doing to ensure the health needs of people are met. I always heard stories of how people have to drive to Agbor to get good medical responses. I always say the people of Nigeria don’t need much, all they want is a responsive government but I wonder if the politicians truly understand this. As we seek a leader in 2023, I pray the politicians understand that power comes with responsibility.
Rufai Oseni, rufaioseni@gmail.com
