…Edo Govt must move fast to save Ogba River, Says University Don
Investigation by Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku, Alltimepost.com Special Correspondent in Nigeria
Emeka Donald Anyanwu works at the department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike as a researcher.
Most part of his work is in the area of drinking and surface water quality, freshwater biodiversity and fisheries. In October of 2010, Anyanwu published the result of a research at the Ogba River in Benin City Edo State with the title: Zooplankton of Ogba River, Benin City, Nigeria.
Anyanwu described Zooplankton as assorted and very minute living things floating in water which make up an important source of food for many species of aquatic organism. According to him, Zooplankton “are globally recognized as pollution indicator organisms in the aquatic environment.”
Most life forms living in fresh waters like fish and turtles feed on these zooplankton. The Anyanwu study revealed that there was a total of 309 specimen belonging to thirteen groups, seven families, four orders, two subclasses and two classes, and were collected from the Ogba River for analysis.
Zooplankton in abundance at the Ogba River was the Mesocyclops ogunnus species contributing 48.5% of the total individuals collected.
Anyanwu said he studied the Ogba River because “less attention has been given to rivers like the Ogba River, which are scattered all over the country and contain a significant proportion of the nation’s aquatic biodiversity.”
In addition to this, Anyanwu’s may not have envisaged that his report would somehow be the missing link to unravelling why Benin city residents have been unable to afford any kind of fish – both the imported and locally bred ones.
In 2010 when Anyanwu published his report, medium-size imported sea fishes – Skubia and Sese (local names for mackerel) sold from N200 – N300, while catfish bred by fish farmers would go for almost the same cost. Fish, especially ‘iced’ fish (Skubia and Sese), was once considered food for the poor and average households.
But that is no longer the case. Just eleven years after the Anyanwu report, Benin City residents across board are unable to afford fish – whether it is locally bred catfish or the ‘iced’ fish. Fresh water fish is very scarce. For fish which used to sell for N200 at all markets in Benin City now sell for N1,500 for the little ones and as much as N2,500 for the fairly large ones.
Alltimepost.com investigation reveal that several factors are responsible. First, cat fish farmers complain about the high cost of feeding fish. One of them, Happiness, told this investigation that in December 2020, she bought a bag of fish feed for N8,000, only to buy that same bag for N13, 800 in January 2021.
But the one factor closer home is that described by another researcher at the Agriculture department of the University of Benin, Pro. Gideon Emelue. In June 2021 during a seminar organized by the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) to mark World Environment day, Prof Emelue said that “indiscriminate channeling of effluent and erosion waters into the Ogba River poses a threat to all life forms at the Ogba River’.
Alltimepost investigation indicated that in 2016, the Adams Oshiomhole administration allegedly constructed a 30-foot drainage system that directed nearly all the floods in Benin City Edo state into the Ogba River.
Seeking to verify this, Alltimepost visited Edo State Nigeria Erosion & Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) coordinator, Dr. Tom Obaseki. Dr. Obaseki declined to make a comment, saying that he “is not aware” of the 30-foot drainage system channeling flood and other poisonous wastes into the Ogba River.
“This is a policy matter, and only the Ministry of Environment can give you the answers you seek,” he said. The investigation took Alltimepost to the Edo State Ministry of Environment. We drew a blank there as well because the permanent secretary was ‘not on seat’, and did not respond to our request for an appointment to have an interview with him.
But scientists and environmentalists at the University of Benin insist that marine life at the Ogba River is under serious threat, and may lead to the death of the Ogba River.
Dr. Soje Wangboje, head of the Aquaculture and Fishery management department, UNIBEN told Alltimepost that erosion waters channeled into the Ogba River from whatever source shut off the oxygen supply to marine life.
“Two things happen thereafter: the fish would die, or migrate. The ones that remain become carcinogenic, that is, they adapt and absorb poisonous materials from the waste matter deposited in the river. If you eat that kind of fish, little by little you endanger yourself,” Dr. Wangboje said.
But other issues confronting the Ogba River are indeed dire. Dr. Address Odiko, is former head of department of Fisheries, UNIBEN. According to him, the problem of the Ogba River goes beyond the channeling of effluent into the River.
“Most farmers around the river don’t often use laborers or need manpower to clear their farms ready for planting. Instead, they apply certain dangerous chemicals without even thinking of the effect on the River – because whenever it rains, the runoff all go into the river, and affect the stability of the river.
“We often collect samples, like metals and other materials from the River during the rainy and dry seasons. We take them to the lab and try to determine how these materials affect the Ogba River. There is a runoff of effluent in Benin City right now and most of the effluent goes right into the Ogba River. This increases the poisonous component in the river,” Dr. Odiko told Alltimepost.
After the heavy rainfall of September 1, 2021, Alltimepost embarked on a field investigation. Residents affected by the heavy rains have already began to construct their own gutters to direct the flood waters into the Ogba River, further worsening the condition of the river. At the Master Drainage System, located behind the Oko Prisons, Alltimepost sighted a lot of debris and plastic waste piled up.
To try to save the dying Ogba River, Prof Soje Wangboje in an exclusive interview with Alltimepost said that the Edo State government must move quickly.
“The effluent or erosion waters being channeled into the River must be treated…there’s no other way. Treat the effluent. You do this by creating settlement tanks all over the place where the effluent waters are treated before being emptied into the river. It must and has to be done if the Ogba River will ever survive.
“And if you have not noticed the Ogba River is decreasing in length, it is shrinking,” Prof Wangboje advised. The full interview with Wangboje would be published shortly.
As cited in the Anyanwu study, the Ogba River is about 42 km long, located at the Southwest region of the outskirt of Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria.
In the watershed are the Ogba Water Works (no longer functional), wood processing industry, an open prison and farm, a Zoological garden and a Scout Camp Settlement. The communities in the area once depended on the river for their farming and fishing activities, as well as for all domestic activities.
For several decades, it served as the main source of water supply, swimming and recreation for members of the Boy Scouts of Nigeria and the sister organization, the Girl Guides/Scouts who camped there year-in-year-out. For those boys and girls, especially from Edo State who are now adults, the Ogba River is an emotional issue.
The Ogba River also has deep religious, cultural, traditional and economic roots with the ancient Benin Kingdom. Its death would be a blow to these institutions.
Etemiku is Alltimepost.com Special Correspondent in Nigeria and WADONOR…cultural voice of the Niger Delta editor–in–chief. majirioghene@protonmail.com.
