Mamu Village In Osun: Forgotten In The Dark Ages - Travel
Mamu
village is a village in the south-western part of Nigeria in Ayedaade
local government, Osun state. This village consists of less than 300
people cohabiting in it. A village which is a fifty minutes drive from
the ancient town of Ile-Ife is suffering from issues that should not
even be in existence at this tentative period of the world's evolution.
Some days ago, one of the fellowships in Obafemi Awolowo University - Mountain of Fire and Miracles Campus Fellowship visited the village to share their faith with the inhabitants of the land (in which am part of the team). In this piece I will give a succinct narration of our experience in the land and also call the attention of the global village to the archaic and dead life these people are living in the village.
Mammu village, a village which has its full name as Maamu-Abimbola has been in existence since the early 18th century. This village was instituted by two foragers who found a solace in the land. The unity amidst this two families made them to leave together in peace, and the name of the village was formed from the name of these two families - in which one of them bears the name of a river in the village.
When we got to the land, and I saw the look of things the first word I uttered was that "this land is leaving almost 30 years slower than Nigeria." The conditions in this village is so dexterous than uttering such statement was not difficult for me. There are different cases in this village that made us to conclude that they are living in the dark ages. The village consists of some good number of huts less than 50 in number.
One thing we must know is that change will not take place unless we activate change where it is needed. Mamu village is a location in which change activation would go a long way in the lifes of the inhabitants and other neighbouring settlements.
This village lacks virtually every social and basic amenities that can make living in this contemporary age pleasurable, ranging from water to communication system.
"Health is wealth" is a widely acclaimed and accepted saying by all, but we must also know that "bad-health is death". From informations gathered from a long-time missionary in the land (a man popularly known as Baba Missions) and some fellow villagers said a woman died in the second month of this year of a seven months old pregnancy due to unavailability of pre-natal care for the mother and the baby, a case which as turn to rampage in the village. Disheartening? Yes! But the question will remain that is there no clinic in the land? There is a Maternity in the land, a clinic which was commissioned for use by Navy Commander Anthony Udofia on the 11th day of December 1995, accurately 21 years ago. Which made it the last time the government has looked into the health of the villagers, since then the government, body or organization never thought of donating drugs, syringes, beds, drip jackets and some other health facilities in the Maternity. This resulted into discouragement for the doctors and nurses in the Maternity because of poor funding, as they themselves could not salvage the situation, they have no option than to close it down some years after its establishment. Presently, the Maternity is under chains and lock because of the laxity of the government, you and I. Many cases of untreated Malaria, Diarrhea and cholera has also been recorded in the village in recent times which give account for the high mortality rate in the village due to the lack of any healthcare program. These people deserves and possesses the right to life as people living in the city do but they only possess slim chance to life now, because of this. We all want to be world changers, but we really need to start from here.
Education, the backbone of any society is a great challenge in this land. The village posses only a 5-classroom primary school (African Church Government Elementary and Middle School) a building which is already dilapidated. The shocking part of these story is that the school was established in the year 1955, five years before Nigeria's independence. Why is it still underdeveloped? I think the best answer anyone can give the question is that "they have been forsaken by the outside world." The Headmaster (Mr Jimoh K.A) of the school who resumed duty in the school 3 years ago, in an interview session with him lamented the poor state of the school, stating the role he has played in helping the school and village at large. He stated "When I arrived here, I only met few pupils here, then I visited a farm settlement close to this village and endeared the herdsmen there to allow their wards to go to School, an offer which they willing accepted. This skyrocketed the school population to almost 90 pupils." He further said that a riot that took place between the herdsmen and some farmers led to the evacuation of their wards from the area and school indirectly. In his concluding words, he said the environment and conditions of the village is not conducive for learning. This means the destinies of almost 100 kids are out there, dispatched and blurred. Little wonder why the village has been in darkness since it's creation till date, that none of the inhabitants has any power generating machine like generator.
Its painful that a village that has been in existence for over centuries has no education and electric power supply. At a point of our visit, when we had to put on a generator and illuminate the environment, the kids and some of the elders were so amazed that they screamed for minutes. This made us to feel how they feels. If we continue like this, they may remain on the other side.
It is generic that water is life, no debate. Which utmostly means a life without water is no life at all, as a water must be clean, colourless and odourless. The people in Mamu village lack a good water supply as they have to compete with animals like cattles before they can get a water to drink or bath, especially in dry seasons. Not that our government has not been once open-eyed, but sustainability plans was lacking in our government's agenda in which recently selfishness has blurred their vision, and can no longer see people in rural settings. During our walk across the land, it was shocking when we saw a water system that was commissioned by Omooba Olagunsoye Oyinlola's administration as the governor of the state since 2005, almost 11 Years ago. The government never looked back to see to how they fair with it. Also, there were two boreholes (which are no longer functioning) that has been constructed since 15 years ago by the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). All this equipment are no longer functioning, so the only option left for these helpless villagers is to drink from a nearby river which showcases different colours at different times and season. It is also pitiable to know that the water is seasonal, and that some times they will have to travel kilometres to get water. It makes me sick remembering all these things.
It is vivid that people have now started deserting the villages for the cities, due to the pachydermatous life in villages, due to our non-challancy towards our fellow humans who happened to be less privileged than us. Grassroot agriculture has also been discouraged because of these factors as people are migrating from areas with fertile lands good for agriculture for cities - one of the main factor defacing agriculture in the country. These people living without all these things stated above should prick your mind. This village that has no network coverage/mast in it except for Airtel Nigeria whose service is also epileptic has strived with time, to get out of the dark ages into light, but they need you and I to help them locate their path out of it. With this, that change can begin with us.
Let's #SaveMamuvillage
Some days ago, one of the fellowships in Obafemi Awolowo University - Mountain of Fire and Miracles Campus Fellowship visited the village to share their faith with the inhabitants of the land (in which am part of the team). In this piece I will give a succinct narration of our experience in the land and also call the attention of the global village to the archaic and dead life these people are living in the village.
Mammu village, a village which has its full name as Maamu-Abimbola has been in existence since the early 18th century. This village was instituted by two foragers who found a solace in the land. The unity amidst this two families made them to leave together in peace, and the name of the village was formed from the name of these two families - in which one of them bears the name of a river in the village.
When we got to the land, and I saw the look of things the first word I uttered was that "this land is leaving almost 30 years slower than Nigeria." The conditions in this village is so dexterous than uttering such statement was not difficult for me. There are different cases in this village that made us to conclude that they are living in the dark ages. The village consists of some good number of huts less than 50 in number.
One thing we must know is that change will not take place unless we activate change where it is needed. Mamu village is a location in which change activation would go a long way in the lifes of the inhabitants and other neighbouring settlements.
This village lacks virtually every social and basic amenities that can make living in this contemporary age pleasurable, ranging from water to communication system.
"Health is wealth" is a widely acclaimed and accepted saying by all, but we must also know that "bad-health is death". From informations gathered from a long-time missionary in the land (a man popularly known as Baba Missions) and some fellow villagers said a woman died in the second month of this year of a seven months old pregnancy due to unavailability of pre-natal care for the mother and the baby, a case which as turn to rampage in the village. Disheartening? Yes! But the question will remain that is there no clinic in the land? There is a Maternity in the land, a clinic which was commissioned for use by Navy Commander Anthony Udofia on the 11th day of December 1995, accurately 21 years ago. Which made it the last time the government has looked into the health of the villagers, since then the government, body or organization never thought of donating drugs, syringes, beds, drip jackets and some other health facilities in the Maternity. This resulted into discouragement for the doctors and nurses in the Maternity because of poor funding, as they themselves could not salvage the situation, they have no option than to close it down some years after its establishment. Presently, the Maternity is under chains and lock because of the laxity of the government, you and I. Many cases of untreated Malaria, Diarrhea and cholera has also been recorded in the village in recent times which give account for the high mortality rate in the village due to the lack of any healthcare program. These people deserves and possesses the right to life as people living in the city do but they only possess slim chance to life now, because of this. We all want to be world changers, but we really need to start from here.
Education, the backbone of any society is a great challenge in this land. The village posses only a 5-classroom primary school (African Church Government Elementary and Middle School) a building which is already dilapidated. The shocking part of these story is that the school was established in the year 1955, five years before Nigeria's independence. Why is it still underdeveloped? I think the best answer anyone can give the question is that "they have been forsaken by the outside world." The Headmaster (Mr Jimoh K.A) of the school who resumed duty in the school 3 years ago, in an interview session with him lamented the poor state of the school, stating the role he has played in helping the school and village at large. He stated "When I arrived here, I only met few pupils here, then I visited a farm settlement close to this village and endeared the herdsmen there to allow their wards to go to School, an offer which they willing accepted. This skyrocketed the school population to almost 90 pupils." He further said that a riot that took place between the herdsmen and some farmers led to the evacuation of their wards from the area and school indirectly. In his concluding words, he said the environment and conditions of the village is not conducive for learning. This means the destinies of almost 100 kids are out there, dispatched and blurred. Little wonder why the village has been in darkness since it's creation till date, that none of the inhabitants has any power generating machine like generator.
Its painful that a village that has been in existence for over centuries has no education and electric power supply. At a point of our visit, when we had to put on a generator and illuminate the environment, the kids and some of the elders were so amazed that they screamed for minutes. This made us to feel how they feels. If we continue like this, they may remain on the other side.
It is generic that water is life, no debate. Which utmostly means a life without water is no life at all, as a water must be clean, colourless and odourless. The people in Mamu village lack a good water supply as they have to compete with animals like cattles before they can get a water to drink or bath, especially in dry seasons. Not that our government has not been once open-eyed, but sustainability plans was lacking in our government's agenda in which recently selfishness has blurred their vision, and can no longer see people in rural settings. During our walk across the land, it was shocking when we saw a water system that was commissioned by Omooba Olagunsoye Oyinlola's administration as the governor of the state since 2005, almost 11 Years ago. The government never looked back to see to how they fair with it. Also, there were two boreholes (which are no longer functioning) that has been constructed since 15 years ago by the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). All this equipment are no longer functioning, so the only option left for these helpless villagers is to drink from a nearby river which showcases different colours at different times and season. It is also pitiable to know that the water is seasonal, and that some times they will have to travel kilometres to get water. It makes me sick remembering all these things.
It is vivid that people have now started deserting the villages for the cities, due to the pachydermatous life in villages, due to our non-challancy towards our fellow humans who happened to be less privileged than us. Grassroot agriculture has also been discouraged because of these factors as people are migrating from areas with fertile lands good for agriculture for cities - one of the main factor defacing agriculture in the country. These people living without all these things stated above should prick your mind. This village that has no network coverage/mast in it except for Airtel Nigeria whose service is also epileptic has strived with time, to get out of the dark ages into light, but they need you and I to help them locate their path out of it. With this, that change can begin with us.
Let's #SaveMamuvillage
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