•Residents, livestock killed, property, farmlands destroyed as floodwaters wreak havoc in Ogidi
From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Human and vehicular movements were grounded for several hours at the Ogidi axis of the Enugu – Awka – Onitsha old road last Monday following a peaceful protest by youths of the community, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The youths, who emptied into the ever busy federal road, moved from one point to another, expressing their frustrations over the devastating impacts of flooding in their community which they said occurs every year.
They were particularly angry that ever since flooding started wreaking havoc in the community, the government had not taken satisfactory actions to address it.
In Ogidi, some houses have been destroyed, fences pulled down, and economic trees felled according to the residents who spoke to Saturday Sun. Farmlands, household wares, food items and many more have also been damaged.
Three people have so far lost their lives to the raging floodwaters. Many animals have also been killed by the natural disaster.
A portion of the old road has been badly damaged by the relentless flooding.
And on this day of protest, the youths waded through the floodwaters, singing songs composed to send a message to the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.
This flooded portion of the road, which stretches up to about one kilometre, is on low ground; and as a result, all the floodwaters from various villages in the community and their neighbouring towns converge there.
The problem is worsened by a deep, wide ditch reportedly dug near the road by the state government during the administration of former Governor Willie Obiano. The ditch, according to the residents of the community, was meant to collect floodwaters that flow into that part of the town from all corners.
But the reality on ground today shows that the government did not properly think through what it considered a flood control plan before implementing it.
Year in, year out, there is always a large volume of water in the ditch. And once the rains return, it becomes a nightmare to the residents of the entire area.
On each rainy day, floodwaters invade homes, shops, market areas, offices and others in that environment; pulling down structures, destroying household appliances and keeping residents away from their homes for days.
In fact, it was gathered that every rainy season, some residents of the area relocate to the upland and only return to their homes when the dry season sets in.
Armed with placards with various inscriptions, the young people cried out to Governor Soludo and President Bola Tinubu, begging them to come to the aid of the community.
Some of the inscriptions read: ‘Gov. Soludo, Ogidi is drowning. Help us’, ‘Tinubu save Ogidi from flood disasters’, ‘Save our children from flood danger’, ‘Save Ogidi’s soul. Soludo, come to Ogidi’s rescue, please’ among others.
President of Ogidi Youths, Mr. Chris Obi Okafor, while speaking at the protest ground, said that flooding has wreaked havoc in the community over the years.
He lamented that many houses, livestock, economic trees, farmlands, and others had been destroyed in the community over the years, stressing that the people would not want a repeat of that destruction this year.
“Ogidi is crying. Ogidi is bleeding. Ogidi is sinking. Every rainfall in our community has become a nightmare”, he cried out.
“What used to be a blessing from God has now become a season of fear, sorrow and destruction.
“The flood disaster in Ogidi has gone beyond ordinary suffering. It has become a humanitarian crisis.”
Okafor further lamented that his people have lost the zeal for farming as flooding usually destroys their farms every year. He said that cash crops worth several millions have been lost over the years.
“Businesses are collapsing daily. Roads have become rivers. Homes are flooded. Movement has become almost impossible.
“Even the palace and surroundings of our revered Igwe Ogidi are not spared. Whenever rain falls, the area becomes impassable.
“If the palace of our traditional ruler can be overtaken by flood, then tell us, where exactly is safe in Ogidi?” he lamented.
The youth president said that the children were the ones mostly affected by the menace as each time it rained, many children wouldn’t go to school to avoid being swept away by the raging floods.
“Imagine the future we are creating when our children are forced to stay home every rainy season. Imagine the dreams that are dying silently because a child cannot cross floodwaters to access education.
“What becomes of a community whose children are denied learning because of flood? What becomes of tomorrow when today is already destroyed?” he queried.
Okafor expressed deep concerns about the current condition of the town, wondering what the situation would be like when the rains return fully in the coming months.
“We are only in the month of May, and Ogidi is already submerged. We tremble whenever dark clouds gather because we know what follows next will be destruction, fear, hunger and tears. We cannot imagine what will happen when the rains come fully”, he stated.
“Prof. Soludo, we speak to you today with heavy hearts. Ogidi has supported this government with our whole being. We have stood faithfully with the progress of Anambra State. But today, our people look back in pain and ask: ‘In what way have we offended the government?’
“Governor, please do not ignore our cries. We have no other place to run to. Do not allow Ogidi to perish in silence”, he pleaded.
Okafor also called on relevant federal and state government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) responsible for tackling erosion and flood disasters in Nigeria to come to their aid urgently.
“This is no longer politics. This is about human lives. This is about children. This is about survival”, he reminded them.
Speaking further, he said: “Ogidi youths in Nigeria and in the diaspora, together with our parents, relatives, in-laws, tenants and every resident of this community are united in this cry for help.
“We are pleading with all and sundry: Please run to our aid before we all drown. We are not asking for luxury. We are not asking for favours. We are asking for the right to live like human beings.”
The youth president made it clear that the young people would not keep quiet unless the government takes action to end their misery.
“Ogidi does not deserve to die in a flood. We remain peaceful. We remain law-abiding. But we refuse to remain silent while our community disappears before our eyes. May our cries touch the hearts of those in authority. May urgent action come before it is too late”, he concluded.
Whenever it rains, the water on the Ogidi axis of the Enugu – Awka – Onitsha old road could rise up to several feet high; flowing fiercely as it pours into nearby homes and shops.
And during that dangerous period, no vehicle dares go near it. Road users usually explore alternative routes to their destinations while waiting for it to recede.
Lamentations
Some of the victims who spoke to Saturday Sun narrated their ordeals, telling pathetic stories of what they passed through when the natural disaster struck.
One of them, Nzubechukwu Udegbe, lamented that their home was flooded last year and destroyed many things in their house.
“It was a heavy flood that got to the waist level”, he recalled. “It killed our goats and my chickens. I grow and sell broilers.”
“That period, I had 150 broilers and all of them were killed by the raging flood. I bought three cartons and tended to them till they all reached maturity.
“That time, each of them had a price tag of N10,000. Just a few of them were N9,500 each. So if you multiply it you will see that I lost a big amount of money.”
Udegbe said that foams and clothes in his house got soaked, even as food items, television and so many other household wares were damaged by the rampaging flood.
“That night, we didn’t sleep in that house. Fortunately for us, we have another house somewhere; a new house. That’s where we slept that night. We spent two days there waiting for the flood to recede before we came for cleanup”, Udegbe recalled.
Another victim, Mrs Angelina Okoye, who narrated a similar story of how her family lost household items, told Saturday Sun that the perennial flooding destroyed their house in 2024.
“It was a house of six rooms and a parlour. It collapsed to the ground when the flood surged into our home. It also killed my five goats,” she recalled.
Okoye, who is now a tenant in her hometown, said the rampaging flood nearly killed her and her six children one fateful morning in 2025 where they relocated to after the collapse of their house in 2024.
“It was the youths of Ire village, Ogidi that came to our rescue. They carried us on their back out of the flooded house to safety”, she narrated.
“The floodwater filled up the room. It got to my chest. We quickly climbed up the window and cried out for help before the people waded through the flood to save us.”
Asked if the 2024 episode was her first time experiencing the natural disaster, she said that it happens every year but the 2024 and 2025 episodes affected her badly.
“It washed away a pot of fiofio that I cooked”, she recalled painfully.
The mother of six told Saturday Sun that the estimated worth of the items they lost in 2024 and 2025 was somewhere around N20 million at the time.
“It was people that supported us with clothes and foods after the 2025 events. Some gave us money to buy detergents with which we cleaned up our house after we drained the massive flood in that compound for five days using a water draining machine”, she added.
Okoye said that currently, the villagers are living in fear, not knowing what to expect this year when the rains fully return in the coming months.
Another villager who also lost items to the recurring natural disaster, Akachukwu James, narrated touching stories of how three people lost their lives to the floodwaters.
“A herdsman drowned in the pit with one cow. He didn’t know that the place was deep. How it happened was that two of his cattle got stuck in the floodwater.
“He pulled out the first one and wanted to pull the second one. But the people around there advised him not to enter the ditch; that he should wait for them to figure out the best way to help him save the remaining cow. But he refused.
“It was when he entered the floodwater to save the second cow that he drowned. That second cow also drowned. It was after four days that he floated. This happened three years ago.
“For the woman that died there, she drowned when the Keke NAPEP she boarded that fateful day was upturned by the raging flood. Before people could save her, she gave up. That’s how it happened. I was there. This one happened last year.
“For the third person, we woke up one morning and saw a corpse floating on the water. That was also three years ago”, he narrated.
The cause of the recurring flooding
The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Alex Onyido, a pharmacist, narrated the history of flooding in the town to Saturday Sun.
“This issue of flood in Ogidi has been long. It started during the time of Mr Peter Obi as the governor of Anambra State.
“Obi deemed it right to tar this old road. It was a very bad road then. So, in the course of that, he decided to make drainage right from Awka to Onitsha.”
Igwe Onyido explained that when the construction work got to that axis of the community, its topography became a big challenge.
“On coming here, the level of the road here is like a valley. Two hills met in that axis, making it look like a valley.
“He couldn’t make the drainage up to Onitsha because of the topography of the road. So, he stopped the drainage somewhere there.
“So, the whole flood from Umunnachi, Umudioka, Eziowelle, Aforigwe; all use that drainage now to move to Ogidi and they empty here.
The monarch lamented that his palace was usually flooded each time it rained. “My palace is in the valley. So, the whole water from Umuoji, Uke, and Abatete find their way to this place”, he explained.
“So, if you remove the one on the main road, the problem is not solved. You must remove the one also in front of my house. Because when there’s rain, this palace is full. You can’t even move. The water will come to your knee”, he lamented.
Igwe Onyido said that the ugly situation gives them sleepless nights especially during rainy seasons. “It’s been worrisome. Whenever we enter this period of the rainy season, people don’t sleep in their house. People will leave Ogidi and look for houses elsewhere.
“Some of them have already rented houses outside Ogidi because when you’re sleeping, you keep your two eyes open. When there’s rain, you will not sleep again because rain will flood your bed,” he lamented.
The floodwater collection ditch
As part of efforts to end the problem of flooding in the community, the state government during the administration of Governor Willie Obiano, dug a relatively big, wide ditch near the federal road to collect floodwaters.
The traditional ruler, however, said that he was against that as he foresaw before the work began that it would create more problems for his community.
“I was against it because if water is collected in one place, you will create another problem of mosquitoes, a lot of things; mishaps and all that. Now, sometimes when you go there, you see a corpse that they dumped there,” he stated.
“Now, the water does not drain because waterproofs and other things have filled up that pit. The soil has been covered with a lot of other elements.”
Solution that may cause more tears
The construction of a long wide drainage channel from the problematic area to the Enugu – Onitsha dual carriageway or to any other location from where the floodwaters can find its way to a river can be considered a possible permanent solution to the problem.
But should the government decide to do that, many buildings may be demolished. The monarch said that such a solution would be accepted so long as the owners of the affected buildings would be compensated by the government.
“No, it’s okay. It’s not a new thing. Mr Governor is doing an express road from Nnewi to Ekwulobia. He’s pulling down houses and paying them compensation. So, anyhow he wants it, he can do it. It’s to pay compensation to those who are affected”, he said.
But what if the government, after pulling down the houses, refuses to pay compensation to the affected individuals; and then says that its action is carried out in overriding public interest?
What if it agrees to pay compensation to the house owners but deliberately delays payment for a very long time for whatever reason?
The traditional ruler, while appealing to the state governor for a quicker solution to the problem, said that he was aware of his efforts to address flood challenges in parts of the state.
“I am aware that he’s making an effort, but from Onitsha to Obosi. Instead of going from Ogidi to Onitsha, he’s going the other way. So, let him increase his effort to take this water away because my youth are getting restless, and I can’t control them. “I want to plead with Mr Governor to quicken his action on this construction”, he appealed.
Threats to attack royal father
The traditional ruler, Igwe Onyido, told Saturday Sun that some of the youths nearly gave him some punches when he removed the barricade they mounted along the road during their protest.
“They are very violent. In fact, when I was coming out, I saw some roads blocked. I had to go and open the road. Some of them wanted to attack me. They said ‘hey Igwe, you want to spoil our protest. Why do you want to remove those obstacles?’
‘I said, get away. This is a federal road, you can’t block it. Get away.’ I used my hand to remove those things, because it’s a federal road.
“So, the youth are very violent. You know, they are largely unemployed. They take pride in this. They take advantage of this to commit crime. So, the government should assist me”, he appealed.
Myth on cause of flooding
There were insinuations in Ogidi and its environs that a deity was responsible for the perennial flooding in the community. Even some commercial drivers, tricycle operators and other users of the troubled federal road hold this view.
A 26-year-old man who claimed to have a satisfactory knowledge about the deity, Akachukwu James from Ire village in Ogidi, said that he used to go to the shrine with his late father.
He claimed that some villagers visited the shrine during one of the community’s festivals called Ogidi Nwafor.
“Yes, it is true. There is an Akpu tree in that place; a very tall tree. Based on what I saw, during the Nwafor Festival, my father, while he was alive, would go there with a fowl and a tuber of yam for some incantation before the celebration. It’s a kind of festival celebrated by the people. It’s Ogidi Nwafor.
“So, when the government wanted to construct this road, they were advised to appease the spirit there; the shrine. But I do not know whether they settled it or not.
“All I know is that we woke up one morning and saw that the Akpu tree had been cut down. I was 16 years old then because now I am 26. That was 10 years ago,” he narrated.
Responding to the claims that a deity was responsible for the flooding, the traditional ruler described the narratives as untrue.
“There’s no deity there. I’ve told you the source of the problem. It’s flood; it’s scientific. Water has its channel. The channel is natural. Once you block that channel of water drainage, the water will now start to flood there. I’m not aware of any deity.
“There’s nothing like that. I was around during the time of Governor Peter Obi, when he repaired this Enugu – Onitsha old road. That was when this started.
“He made a gutter from Awka to Aforigwe; a big drainage up to Ogidi, Aforigwe. So, the whole water from Umunnachi, Umudioka, and Aforigwe now finds its way to Ogidi. And then, another way is from Abatete, Umuoji, and Uke. It finds its way to my palace.
“So, it comes from both sides. So, if you want to take it out, you must make a drainage from my palace to there, and then get the one from the main road, and then join them together. Then move it to Obosi, or where you have a river to take it”, he explained.
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