The once-thriving community of Ekwulummiri in Anambra State’s Nnewi South Local Government Area now teeters on the edge of extinction, as gully erosion continues to wreak untold havoc on lives, homes, and livelihoods.
What was once a bustling, agriculturally vibrant town has become a haunting landscape of deep gullies, crumbling buildings, and displaced families. The unrelenting erosion has swallowed farmlands, destroyed economic trees, and consumed multiple homes—forcing residents to live in fear of being buried beneath the earth they once tilled.
“We are living in constant fear,” lamented Mrs. Nneoma, a resident, while speaking during a media briefing in Awka. “Every rainy season feels like a death sentence. We huddle in our homes, praying that the gully doesn’t creep closer. My children ask me if our house will still be standing tomorrow.”
The erosion has not only dismantled infrastructure—it has destabilized an entire way of life. With farmlands inaccessible, local businesses crumbling, and schools now miles away due to vanished roads, survival is becoming a daily struggle.
“We’ve rebuilt our homes countless times,” said Chief Clement Ezeifedikwa, a community leader. “But each time, the gully swallows them again. We are exhausted. We’re not just losing property—we’re losing our heritage.”
Desperate but resilient, the community has tried to stem the tide with self-help measures—planting trees, digging catchment pits, and constructing makeshift drainage systems. But their efforts pale in the face of the rapidly expanding gully.
“The gully is growing faster than we can manage,” explained Mr. Cassidy Ikejiaku, a youth leader. “Without external intervention, we fear our entire community will disappear.”
The people of Ekwulummiri are now making an urgent plea to Governor Chukwuma Soludo and the Federal Government. They demand that a state of ecological emergency be declared and immediate, sustainable intervention be initiated.
“This is a fight for survival,” said Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, a key community stakeholder. “If help doesn’t come now, the next rainy season may be our last.”
Ekwulummiri’s ordeal is not an isolated case. Anambra State is home to over 1,000 active gully erosion sites, making it one of the most ecologically threatened regions in Nigeria. Yet many affected communities remain neglected, with little to no government intervention.
As the rains intensify, the people of Ekwulummiri ask one question—“How many more must lose their homes before we are heard?”
PIONEER NEWS 