As rainy season is here again, Ibaji communities in flood prone areas in Ibaji Local Government of Kogi State have refused to vacate their houses on account of flood. Ibaji communities were submerged during year 2012 flood while the residents had to vacate their houses and take refuge in primary schools at Idah, in Idah local government.
The communities suffered untold hardship during the period while their property and farm produce were destroyed. But despite the horrific experience and the severe flooding in the area, the people are adamant they cannot abandon their ancestral homes on account of flood that is yet to happen.
During the, 2012 flood, about nine local governments were affected, over 600,000 residents displaced, over N1billion property destroyed, while farmlands were destroyed.
Our reporter who visited some Ibaji communities observed that all the places that were flooded in 2012 have been occupied with many of the destroyed houses rebuilt by the residents. It was also observed that the flood was severe in the communities due to the topography of the area.
But the residents said they had to move back to the flood prone area to rebuild their homes because no alternative has been provided for them by the government.
As it is, the residents show no concern for the warning as many believe that the 2012 flood was unusual and flood of such magnitude comes in every 50 years.
During the visit to the communities, our reporter observed that the Ibaji road that was destroyed during the 2012 flood was undergoing rehabilitation by the state government, a development residents said would ease their sufferings.
Some of the residents who spoke to Daily Trust said they have resigned to fate and prayed that flood will not come as it did in 2012.
At Itoduma community, most of the destroyed houses during the flood have been rebuilt by the people who said they will continue to live in the area despite threat of another flood.
One of the residents, Chief David A. Onate, (the Ogata Igala Itoduma land) said they have no option than to stay in the village as no camp was provided for the community.
Chief David who is a retired Major in the Nigerian Army said he has no alternative but to pray to God because the government has failed them during the last flood.
“During the flood I lost over N3 million when my computer business was destroyed and I got nothing from the government. I am hoping that it would not come but if it comes, I will not leave my home. Even if I have to sleep on the ceiling board or on the roof I will do that,” he said.
According him, the community suffered during last flood in the area with no help from the government hence they have resolved not to leave their ancestral home. He, however, lamented that the government is very far from the people, saying that the government needs to get closer to the people to be able to help them and know their problems.
At Odugu Ibaji community, the situation was not different as the residents were not given any relief materials to vacate their homes. Yahaya Adejoh, a resident of the community who spoke to our reporter, said they are apprehensive with the commencement of rain but had to resign to fate as they have no money while the government has not made any provision for them.
According to him, “people had to rebuild their houses destroyed by the flood in the area because we have no other places to go” and the government did not provide a place for them.
“We have no plan yet but we keep praying to God so that it would not come like last year. But if it eventually comes, like 2012, we would still go back to primary school at Idah and come back when the water has receded to continue with our lives,” he said.
He explained that though they experienced untold hardships, there is nothing they can do since the government is not forthcoming on provision of a place for them, asking how you can ask people to vacate their communities without providing an alternative for them.
He lamented that during the last flood in the area, they did not receive the relief materials claimed to have been given by the government.
Chief Iyaga Onate of Ejule Ojebe community said he is afraid of the rainy season because of the terrific experience of 2012 where they lost community members and property to flood.
“As you can see, we have no solution to flood because our land is a flat land and this makes it prone to flood. No place was given to us and they ask us to vacate our community. So the only alternative we have in this community is to wait till the flood comes and if it comes we would still go back to the primary school at Idah which housed us during last flood.”
Chief Iyaga, however, called on the state government to come to their aid, lamenting that they have been abandoned by the government.
At Igojo community, the people also resigned to fate like other residents in Ibaji communities, praying that there will be no flood this year.
A resident of the community, Sunday Oyibo, told Daily Trust that they are willing to go to a permanent place where they would be safe but there was no place to go as government has not provided one.
“Now we can’t run away from our homes because we don’t have any other place to. If the flood comes, we would still go back to primary school at Idah, but we pray that it will not reach here,” he said.
Another resident, Simon Oga, said they can’t vacate their ancestral home for a flood that is yet to return, adding that the flood of 2012 was unusual. He said they have spent money in rebuilding their homes and cannot vacate the place without provided alternative by government.
Effort to speak with the deputy governor, Yomi Awoniyi, who is also the chairman of the flood relief committee, was not successful as he was said to be out on official duty. But a government source told Daily Trust that the government would not take chances. He said the road that was destroyed during the flood is undergoing repair, adding that government was committed to the welfare of the people.
According to him, Idah was designated as camp for Ibaji in 2013, adding that the same area will be used this year in case the flood comes.
