Connect with us

News

Flood in Maiduguri: Why we should learn from history

Published

on

Flood in Maiduguri: Why we should learn from history

By Yusuf Adamu

30 years ago, there was the same incident in Maiduguri. I can recall my days as a pupil at the Yerwa Practice Primary School. The two rivers that brought floods to Maiduguri, which are the Gadabul and Ngada rivers, have their connecting points near our school. The deepest places we used to go and swim were near the Satus Hotel, a place we called ‘Buzaye’. Our seniors are the ones that go play around that area. We that are junior classes used to go near the veterinary clinic to play because it was not as deep as the area where Satus Hotel is currently situated.

Before the government constructed the Lagos Street Bridge, people at that time used canoes for crossing to the other side and back. Also, there is a place between Gwange and Kulogumna where canoes used to ferry people across the rivers. The Custom Bridge and that of Gwange are one lane; as such, vehicles cross the bridge at a time, as it cannot take two to cross from the sides. Usually during the rainy season, the students, especially those who are living in town, are being asked to remain, while only children from GRA go to Yerwa Practice because the water usually cuts off people from either side. That is why, for me, I have classmates both at Yerwa Practice and Central Primary School. This is owing to the divide as a result of rain whenever it comes as such.

Today, the whole of the river banks are occupied by buildings due to the development of the city. People failed to check the history of these places where they buy plots and build their houses. They block the ways of the rivers, and there are no channels constructed in such a situation. One thing with rivers: they always come their way unless they are diverted. But in this situation and especially on Maiduguri, there are no such diversion or some sort of channels made in readiness for such a situation. People build indiscriminately and never remember that history has a place to play in building. This is the impact we are seeing today.

Today’s government, under the leadership of Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has done well in the construction of roads and drainages in Maiduguri, which is supposed to bring ease to such a situation. But still, the people use such drainages as dumping grounds for waste. I was in Maiduguri recently, and looking at the efforts of the government, I said that with all these in place, flooding is not likely to takeover the state as it has for the last 30 years. People refused to take care of these drainages. They are not conscious of the surroundings and what is likely to happen in such a situation.

I recalled that at a point the state governor warned of indiscriminate building along the river banks and ordered the demolition of such illegal buildings, but the reaction from the people was something else. This has made the government retrace its steps towards averting such a disaster. The government, however, continued to educate the people on the need to keep their drainages open and to make ways within their communities for water passage, but they kept close ears to warning signs. If history has it 30 years ago, what makes the people think that it cannot be repeated? Why are we constantly in motion without counting the cost of motion? I think this should also be a lesson for our people to avoid in the future.

*Yusuf Adamu writes from Maiduguri

Flood in Maiduguri: Why we should learn from history

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

EMAN: Zulum bags 5th fellowship award, wins best environmentally friendly governor

Published

on

EMAN: Zulum bags 5th fellowship award, wins best environmentally friendly governor

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has been nominated for the prestigious Honourary Fellow Award by the Environmental Management Association of Nigeria (EMAN), recognizing him as one of the best environmentally friendly governors in the country.

Zulum has received fellowships from the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers. He has also received honorary fellowships from the Nigerian Institute of Architects and the National Postgraduate Medical College.

EMAN, the apex professional body for environmental managers in Nigeria, announced the nomination in a statement issued by its National Secretary, Dr. Ubong Harrison.

The award will be presented to Governor Zulum at the association’s 2024 Annual Conference, scheduled for Wednesday, November 13, 2024, in Abuja.

The conference, themed “Building Resilience Against Land Degradation and Climate Change in Nigeria,” will bring together stakeholders from across the environmental sector.

The Honourary Fellow Award is in recognition of Governor Zulum’s significant contributions to environmental management and sustainable development in Borno State.

Among the key achievements highlighted by EMAN are the timely and effective management of the recent flood disaster that affected parts of the state, as well as the outstanding performance of the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA).

Additionally, the governor’s leadership in establishing the Great Green Wall Agency, which has spearheaded the planting of millions of trees to combat desertification and climate change, has been lauded by the association.

In its statement, EMAN noted, “In recognition of your numerous contributions to ensuring proper environmental management and sustainable development, we most respectfully invite you to receive the prestigious Honourary Fellow Award.”

The association also commended Borno State’s full participation in the Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) program, further underscoring the state’s commitment to addressing climate-related challenges.

Governor Zulum’s efforts in environmental stewardship have also been recently recognized by the Nigerian Environmental Society, which awarded him the Environmental Excellence Award.

EMAN: Zulum bags 5th fellowship award, wins best environmentally friendly governor

Continue Reading

News

Borno PSN drum up support for flood affected residents, donates drugs and consumables to Gubio camp

Published

on

Borno PSN drum up support for flood affected residents, donates drugs and consumables to Gubio camp

By: Bodunrin Kayode

The Borno State council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has donated drugs and consumables worth N 0.5 naira to the Gubio camp housing hundreds of residents displaced by the recent flood in maiduguri.

The PSN also held health outreaches to Bakassi and Gubio camp giving health talks and prescribing medication for the teeming patients at the camp during the peak of the flood.

Chairman of the PSN Umar Abdulkareem told this reporter during a chat that apart from drugs and consumables which were dispensed at the camps, many referrals were made and the patients were further assisted to get better.

Speaking recently during a low keyed celebration of their week, he said that their collective efforts in the 2024 program was directed towards the support of all those who have been affected by the massive flood of September 20th which affected the state.

” We are all united to work as a team to support our dear state by standing by to also give Humanitarian support with logistics and health outreach to support the victims of the devastating flood disaster on our day. Your rewards are in heaven.” He told members during the day.

“This year’s World Pharmacist Day 24 is unique to us bcos we all stood firm and gave back to the community at this time of need. We started fundraising donations and we have achieved a lot.

“I want to appreciate every one that donated and those who are intending to donate. We will hand over what was realized to the flood disaster committee coupled with the updated list, and total amount realized. He noted.

” Thank u very much my PSN family for supporting all the successes we achieved, which definitely was as a result of all our commitment and dedication to our association and profession at large.” He concluded.

Borno PSN drum up support for flood affected residents, donates drugs and consumables to Gubio camp

Continue Reading

News

Nigerians Pick Interest in Learning Chinese for Job Opportunities

Published

on

Nigerians Pick Interest in Learning Chinese for Job Opportunities

By: Michael Mike

The learning of Chinese language has continued to gain traction in Nigeria as many young Nigerians see it as opportunity to make end meet.

This was the revelation at this year’s Chinese language Contest organised by the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria (CCCN) where 40 contestants slug it out to win the tournament and create a niche for themselves.

Many of the contestants are students from Chinese schools all over the country where they study the fast growing language in Nigeria.

The winner of the grand prize with cash reward of N250,000 in the competition, Chinecherem Ugwuanyi said she took to learning Chinese to better her lot by making herself employable.

Ugwuanyi, who is a student of Confucius Institute at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nsukka, said: “My first motivation is my family. Learning Chinese has six levels from HSK 1 to 6. When I began learning Chinese, I planned to learn just level 3 because I wanted to work in a company as a translator to give my family a better life.
 
“I wanted to help. My family is my first motivation. I wanted an opportunity for a better life because I knew a translating job could pay well.”

Ugwuanyi who believed that Chinese language though difficult to learn but learnable with dedication, said her message to other Nigerians interested in the language is that in anything, the beginning is always difficult but as long as you persist to the end, you will succeed.
 
She added that: “If you have a dream, know why you are chasing that dream. Forget about the noise, what people will say. Even what your own mind will say. Because at times you will be yourself’s enemy. Just believe and know that there is something that is in you greater than any other obstacle. For we have the mind of Christ.”

Speaking on step already taken to populace Chinese in Nigeria, the Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria (CCCN), Mr Yang Jianxing said many centres have been built across the country for the learning of Chinese language.

He noted that competitions like this are to further motivate people to learn the language.

He said Chinese language is one of the major languages in the world considering the number of people that speak it, advising Nigerians to pick interest in learning it.

Nigerians Pick Interest in Learning Chinese for Job Opportunities

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights