A Journey To Sokebolou Community In Ijaw Land, Delta State
By Norbert Fidelis
When I first heard the news, that I will accompany some of our CSO members, to a burial in a riverine community, I felt excited and looked forward to the journey , hoping to have my first baptism of fire in a boat voyage .
The journey is to honor and pay the last respect, to Mama Binkpayai Enerepkemi Agediga, who happens to be the Mother of our esteemed and well respected leader, Mr.Shedrack Lucky Agediga
On the day of the journey, I found it a bit difficult to sleep , as I was pondering on the excitement I will experience in the boat ride , and see a riverine community for the first time in my life. I also hope to know and see how the people look like , what their community problem is , the kind of food they eat and other things related with the SDG goals.
Our journey started with a very smooth ride from Asaba to Warri. I must commend the State government for this fantastic road network . It was like driving along the Lekki – Epe road , and the distance is just 2 hrs 10 mins.
However , when we arrived Warri, I was greeted by the heap of refuse , somewhere in Effurun,. Also , the place is characterized by dirty water and bad road network, which is due to lack of drainage . Again , the place doesn’t look organized , like what we have here in Asaba , as tricycle riders and vehicle owners drive anyhow and park anywhere , without any constituted authority challenging them .This has led to unnecessary traffic hold up . Also, most of the streets look dirty, with people selling their goods and products along the road, in the market and blocking the free flow of traffic . All these makes me wonder, if this is the much talked about Warri . However, the massive bridge under construction at Udu , is something to behold and a good legacy of this government .
We eventually drove downtown , where we found a good hotel, and lodged. Early the next morning ,we got up and prepared for the event proper, which is the journey to Sokebolou, by boat. Quickly, I got myself ready , and we left in no distant time to the jetty. When we got to the jetty, I saw people everywhere with boats harboured at the dockyard . There I discovered that other members were already waiting for us, but I was surprised at the kind of boats they have there. I was expecting to see air conditioned boats with lovely interiors. When I asked a lady beside me why there are no boats like that , she looked at me and asked back ,
“”where you come from ” I just kept my mouth shut and never asked anything again .
The people in the boat, especially the ladies , were very friendly and treated me like one of them. The boat eventually set sail, and the much awaited journey began, but I never knew what awaited me , as all were starring at me and smiling , I suspected something was fishy though ,,but I never knew it . Six minutes into the journey, the nightmare started , as the water current was hitting the boat, making it to float in a fluctuating manner, up and down . Initially , I didn’t want to show any sign of fear or anxiety in me, but the situation worsened, and seems like the boat is about to capsize, then the man beside me looked at me and asked, ” “oga how the ride now” That was when it became dawned on me that the voyage I have been dreaming about, might be a nightmare after all . So this is how it’s gonna be for the next one hour, I asked myself. I looked left and right , but saw nothing, just water everywhere . Immediately , I started to develop high blood pressure, and before you know it, the next thing I heard was , Oh Lord , Oh Lord , you’re a wonderful God ! and everybody in the boat started singing, while the current hit the boat harder .
For a moment, I thought everybody in the boat was going crazy ,or they belong to a certain deity in the river , as I don’t understand what was actually going on. Then I
asked myself, is this how I’m going to end my life , as i was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Then the man beside me laughed and said, “no worry , notin go happen ” That was when I realized that I was still alive . After a while , the SSA gave me a bottle of Coke with a local delicacy to take , and calm down, but the Coke was tasteless to me . For a moment , I wanted to join them in singing the song, Oh Lord, Oh Lord , hoping it will kill the fear in me. Meanwhile, my colleagues in the boat kept assuring me that all is well and I shouldn’t worry.
As we journeyed through the riverine communities , I saw the mangrove areas and the terrible life the people there are living. There is no sign of civilisation whatsoever .There is no network, no hospital , no market and no school. All I saw were people living on tree tops and small children fishing on a canoe . Moving further , I noticed something . The color of the water changed and everything turned black. I reasoned for a moment , before I realized that this is the devastation industrial activities have caused on the aquatic life in the riverine communities .
Even though I have read so much about this , I have never seen it in my life. The river turned black and the mangrove area there is destroyed, as the trees are falling, cos of the pollution of the water. It was indeed a site to behold . This is a result of the oil spillage and lack of attention from the government .
We finally arrived Sekobolou, and I wept for the people in that community. I mean, this is the chicken that lays the golden egg, yet here they are , living in squalor and lack . What an irony. Everywhere is filled with oil spillage, and you can’t even plant or grow anything.
We arrived the burial ceremony , and received a warm welcome from our amiable and respected leader, Comrade Lucky Agediga, who later ushered us to our seats . After this, it was enjoyment all the way ,as we were treated like VIPs. At this point , I must ask why all the other CSO members in Asaba never showed up at this burial. Even though I don’t know this Comrade Lucky, the hospitality and reception he gave us , shows he’s a good man who cares about people , how come those other CSO members , who know him and must have also enjoyed from his largesse, refuse to show up at this crucial time ?
On a final note, I must give credence, and say a big thank you, to the SSA to the Delta State Governor on Civic Engagements, Civicist Rex Anigjoro , who has shown to be a man , who can go out of his way to do something , by abandoning two high profile programmes in Lagos and Abuja, just to attend this burial. Again, he deemed it fit, to come along with some fellow CSO members and add color to the burial . This is what it takes to be a leader
I also say a special and big thank you ,to Comrade Lucky Agediga, even though I don’t know him before, the hospitality and attention he gave ,us shows he’s a man of good heart. During the burial, he made sure we had everything we needed and offered us good accommodation , I will also like to thank the entire Ijaw people of Sokebolou for being so nice to me and taking me as I am. Even though I don’t speak Ijaw language or even speak the normal pidgin, they still took me as one of them and treated me well. . I really enjoyed my stay . I hope to come back and celebrate their carnival with them in December .
Also, a big thank you goes to Barr. Allen Ifeanyichukwu Onyeme, the Managing Director of Air Peace ,who supported the burial by providing logistics in cash and kind , through his Foundation For Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria ((FEHN).
The journey back to Warri the next morning was smooth ,as the tide has reduced , which made the boat to sail with comfort , till we got to the harbour at the jetty .
Indeed ,My journey to Sokebolou was mixed with , scary , memorable and enjoyable feelings, as it afforded me the opportunity to see how things are in the riverine area, as well as know the impact of environmental pollution in the community.
