SEA INCURSIONS: A THREAT TO THE FUTURE EXISTENCE OF OUR INHERITANCE
By Olusegun HOSEA, Akure
12th April, 2026.
The struggle of the good people of Orioke-Iwamimo community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State produced for them this great cathedral for the indigenes and non-indigenes to gather and worship their God. However, one factor contending with this is that nature has gradually been laying its cold hands on the edifice through sea incursions, which serve as a threat to the future existence of this collective heritage. The vision of the leadership of the community and the entire people in the environment was very clear, which was that of providing a befitting place for gathering, meetings, discussions, worship, and strategizing for the progress and development of the community. But now, this hope is being threatened by nature, and it has become a source of concern not just to the leadership alone but to the generality of the people in the community and beyond.
Their concern now is that the efforts of their labour should not be wasted and washed away by the sea incursions, as it happened to one of their neighbours at Zion Abetobo and Ayetoro community in the same Ilaje Local Government Area, where a similar edifice was submerged by the sea, and the rest became history. To guard against this in Orioke-Iwamimo, the government has to come to their aid in order to safeguard this self-built edifice by the community.
Meanwhile, the people of the community are seriously crying for government intervention in the development of the community in all ramifications. There is no portable drinking water for the people of the community, as everyone relies on rainwater all year round. The central broad road in the community, which was filled with mud and sand by the people, is now being overshadowed by waves of water coming from the sea.
Whenever it is between four and five (4–5 pm) every day, the whole central broad road is occupied by seawater, and the river too becomes filled. At low tide, it becomes difficult for travellers to navigate to the hinterland. This is the situation facing the good people of Orioke-Iwamimo and its environment. To sleep with both eyes closed is now a big problem because of the fear of sea incursions that may likely overflow their banks at any time.
Away from this, the wood foot bridge constructed by the past government to the development of the community have started falling apart due to the lack of maintenance. There is no Public lavatory build by the government except the one constructed by the community itself for the convenience of their people.
Also, the community is still lagging some social amenities like the rural electrification, and others public facilities that would make life comfortable.The lister power generators the community is using were being provided by the people themselves and to maintain it due to the cost of the diesel is not that pucket friendly as the power were only reserved for the time the community normally celebrate their annual anniversary. Government intervention in this regard is zero .This is the situation on ground wish the people were looking up to the government to come to their aid not just for them to be seeking for their votes alone without the benefit of the dividend of the democracy.
