AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE — A devastating gully erosion has engulfed at least 15 homes and vast stretches of farmland in Ekwulumili, a community in Nnewi South Local Government Area, sparking renewed cries for urgent government intervention.
The erosion menace, described as one of the worst in the region, has not only rendered families homeless but also severed major roads and crippled access to key economic routes. One erosion site sits dangerously close—just 50 metres—from the Oba–Nnewi–Uga–Okigwe expressway, a critical artery for local and interstate commuters.
Despite over three decades of persistent appeals to successive administrations, residents say no meaningful intervention has been made. Community members have resorted to self-help strategies like concrete fortifications and tree planting, but these have proven insufficient as the gully expands rapidly during every rainy season.
“We’re watching our ancestral homes vanish before our eyes,” said Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, a community leader and chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot. “Villages like Umudim, Urueze, and Isigwu are the hardest hit. Many families have been displaced, and the road linking Ekwulumili to Amichi through Ugwuochi is completely cut off.”
According to Anyaso, the erosion is worsened by floodwaters descending from upland towns like Igboukwu and Oraeri, combined with unchecked human activity and poor drainage systems. He urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to declare a state of emergency in the area, appealing also to the federal government and international agencies for immediate action.
“We have lost not just homes, but countless economic trees, farmlands, and a vital federal road that’s now on the brink of total collapse,” he warned.
Chief Clement Ezeifedikwa, former President General of the community, expressed frustration over repeated visits by government officials who offered promises without delivering real solutions.
“Our patience is wearing thin. The community is in distress. What we need is action, not empty assurances,” he said.
As the erosion crisis deepens, Ekwulumili remains a grim example of environmental neglect, with lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure hanging in the balance.
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