Date: 2012-07-29

Rumbling of the thunder that heralds rainfall causes many hearts to leap for joy, as essence of rain which is described as the "nectar of life" cannot be undermined. Its soothing effect particularly after a long dry spell is as well indescribable.

But, however, for some people the splattering sound of drops of precipitation from the sky makes their heart cringe with fear. Such is the case of people of Asileke in Okekere Area of Ilorin. Rainfall to them has become a menace. A nature’s gift which they wish could be rejected owing to their present predicament. A rainmaker would have made a fortune consulting for this community, given their aversions for the heavenly droplets which has in the past caused them anguish and pain.

Just like everyone, the people of the community would have love to relish the benefits associated with rainfall, but for the age long marsh land located in the heart of the community which poses a big problem to the settlement. The marshland popularly known as Abata Sunkere, covers a large expanse of land in the community.

The marsh land during the rainy season enlarges its coast and cause havoc to the people within its vicinity.

Not only are property lost to this menace, lives have been submerged by its quicksand. The marsh land as it is, has become a curse to the Asileke community. Many people have over the years been displaced by the marsh land when it overflowed its bank.

The marsh land during the rainy season causes a gaping physical divide by cutting off a part of the community thereby making it inaccessible from the other end.

The people in an effort to fill up the swampy area of the community,dump refuse on the marsh land. This effort, however has not paid off but consequently constituted more problem; air pollution.

There has been record of death of young children who got trapped in the quicksand and died before help could get to them. The death toll according to people of the community increased last month when a 7 year old boy who had gone to the marshy area to dump refuse, sank into the quick sand.

Going down memory lane, an ex-pupil of Ansarulslam LGEA, a school located in the area, Alhaji Ibrahim Salami, recalled that the swampy area claimed lives of little children way back in the 60s. It was almost an annual ritual.

"While we were in school then our teachers did not allow us to go near the marsh land given its notoriety for annihilating lives.

Speaking to National Pilot residents of the area, the duo of Alhaji Ayuba and Alhaji Abata Sunkere, decried the precarious situation of the settlement occasioned by hazard of the marshland.

While wondering if there is a mystery to the life claiming marshland, they called on concerned authority to step into their situation with the aim of finding lasting solution to their predicament.

"Although we cannot say actually if there is anything extra ordinary about the marshland, but the thing is that it has been claiming lives of young children.

"All we want is for government and concerned agencies to come to our assistance. There were promises made to us in the past which did not see the light of day. We want lasting solution to this problem," one of them said.

We were told that the marshland will be filled up and structures erected on it for educational purpose but we are yet to see this dream come true.

"We construct makeshift bridges with improvised materials in order to get into our houses whenever it rains.

"The water from the marsh land has sacked many from their homes while property worth millions of naira have been destroyed.

"The safety of children can no longer be guaranteed as a result of this development. Many children in this locality have fallen victim of the death trap.

"We are aggrieved in this community and anticipate government’s help, he pleaded."

Lamenting the ugly development, a cleric in the community, Alhaji Imam Arikewuyo, who showed this reporter round, noted that his house had been able to withstand the ‘storm’ because of the quality materials used in building It.

He said the fear of people in the community had heightened with the recent metrological forecast of heavy downpour in some parts of the country Kwara State inclusive.

He then called on Senator Bukola Saraki who is the Chairman, Environment and Ecology to look into the plight of people of the settlement and take urgent steps to put an end to their misery.