“We Are Losing Our Community”: Ekwulummiri Residents Cry Out as Gully Erosion Devastates Anambra Town

 

Ekwulummiri Community Faces Existential Threat from Expanding Gully Erosion

Residents of Ekwulummiri, a once-thriving agrarian community in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, are living in constant fear and uncertainty as massive gully erosion continues to destroy their land, homes, and livelihood. The people are now urging Governor Chukwuma Soludo, the Federal Government, and international partners to intervene before the entire town is consumed.

Years of unchecked environmental degradation have culminated in a sprawling gully system that has ravaged farmlands, swallowed economic trees, displaced families, and severed critical road links. Local leaders say the situation has grown beyond their control and now requires immediate and large-scale governmental response.

According to Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, a prominent stakeholder from Ekwulummiri, the erosion has devastated entire villages, particularly Umudim, Urueze, and Isigwu, in what he described as a gradual but relentless invasion by nature. He spoke to journalists in Awka, expressing deep frustration and concern over what he called “over 30 years of ecological assault” on his people.

“The level of destruction we are facing is unprecedented,” Anyaso lamented. “About 15 homes have already been lost to the gully. Farmlands and trees that sustained our economy for generations are now gone. People are displaced, livelihoods ruined, and the gully keeps growing.”

One of the most immediate threats posed by the gully erosion is the potential destruction of the road linking Ekwulummiri to Amichi via Ugwuochi. This route is vital for access to markets, schools, and healthcare. Even more alarming, the erosion site is encroaching on the strategic Oba-Nnewi-Uga-Okigwe expressway—just 100 meters away—putting the major thoroughfare at risk of collapse.

The roots of the erosion problem, according to Anyaso, stem from a combination of natural and human-induced factors. Flash floods from higher elevation towns such as Igbo Ukwu and Oraeri contribute significantly to runoff, while deforestation and uncontrolled development worsen the situation. Despite community-led efforts to stem the tide—like planting bamboo trees, constructing catchment pits, and building makeshift dams—locals say the scale of the damage has far exceeded their capabilities.

Chief Clement Ezeifedikwa, another community leader, expressed his deep disappointment in the seeming lack of government response. “We’ve cried out many times. Government representatives have come here, made promises, and left,” he said. “Nothing has changed. In fact, it is worse than before.”

Many residents are now leaving the town altogether, unable to endure the constant danger and loss. Mr. Cassidy Ikejiaku, a youth advocate, described the desperation that has taken hold. “We’ve spent millions, both locally and through support from our people abroad. We did concrete works, we planted trees—nothing worked. The erosion swallowed even our best efforts.”

Across Anambra, the story of Ekwulummiri is tragically familiar. The state is widely regarded as the epicenter of gully erosion in Africa, with over 1,000 active sites threatening the existence of hundreds of communities. Experts cite a dangerous blend of loose soil types, steep topography, and intense rainfall as natural triggers. Human negligence, poor infrastructure planning, and unsustainable farming and construction practices have only compounded the problem.

Professor Philip Phil-Eze, Managing Director of the Anambra State Erosion, Watershed and Climate Change Agency (ANSEWCCA), recently stated that nearly 90 percent of Anambra’s communities face some level of risk from soil erosion. During a workshop, he identified poor drainage terminations, deforestation, sand mining, and improper roofing designs as significant contributors to the crisis.

The now-defunct Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), a World Bank-funded initiative, previously recorded some success in tackling erosion in parts of Anambra. Key areas such as NEROS Plaza, Amachala, and Ekwueme Square in Awka benefited from erosion control and infrastructure recovery. Entire communities like Urunebo in Enugu Ukwu and Umuoji in Idemili North saw dramatic improvements through NEWMAP’s intervention.

Aside from engineering solutions, NEWMAP also implemented resettlement plans and taught sustainable environmental practices. However, since the project officially wound up in 2022, many communities—like Ekwulummiri—have found themselves without support or continuity.

Residents are now pleading with Governor Soludo and federal authorities to revive such intervention programs or to tap into the newly emerging European Investment Bank (EIB) initiative focused on climate adaptation and erosion control.

“We’re not asking for handouts,” said Anyaso. “We’re asking for the right to live safely in our own land. The state and federal governments must act now. We are at the edge of catastrophe.”

Ekwulummiri’s story is one of warning but also of resilience. The people have not given up despite being battered by a natural disaster decades in the making. Their hope now rests on the urgency and will of authorities to prevent an avoidable humanitarian crisis.