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My
Visit Home ~ An Update
(Contributed
by Chidi Anyanwu, Ph.D, PE.
I
was at home from October 9 – 18, 2003. During this period I had the
opportunity to visit two sites of interest to most Amumara people who live in
the United States. I visited (a) the Amumara Civic Center Complex now in
construction, (b) the Amumara Girls Secondary School, now called the Amumara
Secondary School. The following is a brief report and photographs of my
findings:
1). The Amumara Civic Center Complex
This
building is located on the slopes of the hill rolling down to the Amumara Market
Square from the St. John’s Church. Across from the Complex is the Unegbu
family compound. Going from the CMS Church to the market square, it is on the
left side, just before the Faith Tabernacle Church. It is perhaps about 200 ft
from the road. At first you may not see or notice it because of the tall bushes
surrounding it. The short roadway path leading to it has not been cleared of
bushes. But, once you find your way into it, you immediately notice that it is a
huge building.
Inside
the building are pillars, in fact, many of them reminiscences of the old Roman
Empire. There is also an inside balcony where the Ezes, the Chiefs, and all the
important Umara dignitaries may sit and look below on we Commoners when the
occasion calls for it. It is very impressive. It can be seen that a lot of money
has gone into building the Civic Complex. When left alone in it, you are
overcome by a sense of loneliness.
One
of the shortcomings of the complex is that it is built on the grade. This
situation exposes the Complex to potential flooding whenever there is heavy
downpour. Those of us who are familiar with the topography would agree with this
thinking. City Halls, Municipal Buildings and Court Houses are usually built
with at least five or six steps to the landing or first floor. This series of
steps add a sense of awe and respect to the building. The Ubahi Amumara Village
Hall has about 4 steps to the landing. That looked quite impressive. I visited
there too to see their 500 KVA electric transformer and the Ubahi Electric
Project. Everything looked great. One small step for Ubahi, one giant step for
Amumara.
The
unfinished attachment to the Amumara Civic Complex building is designed to be
bell-shaped like a dome. When completed it would add beauty and style to the
entire complex. The building would not be complete if the addition is left out.
That is why we must go for it as we mandated the present executive to spend
about 80% of what the purse holds.
In
my opinion, some of us should have been allowed to look at the architectural
drawings before the initial commencement of the building. Perhaps we would have
made some corrections. A redesign would have been called for. The redesign would
have required less pillars, and a flight of steps to the landing.
We
sincerely thank all the Umara people who have contributed their widow’s mite,
their sweat, and their energies into making it happen. Special thanks to the
Amumara Indigenes on the East Coast, and in particular to the Enogwe family who
took the bull by the horn and forged ahead tirelessly.
2). The Amumara Secondary School:
There
used to be a signboard at the entrance of the road leading to Amumara Secondary
School. Today, there is none. The original road leading to the school has
disappeared into nothingness. Tall bushes have overtaken the road. We drove our
car to the Abu ( Umuokpo road. Just before the most Reverend Ukenna’s
compound, and running behind his backyard is a detour leading to the old school
road. I ceased this opportunity to pay a 15-minute visit to the reverend and his
wife. There was a photo opportunity too. We went back to the detour to join what
used to be the road to the school. At this juncture, it can be described as a
pathway with gorges caused by heavy flooding.
Once
we arrived at the school compound we were overtaken by a deep sense of loss.
What used to be the pride of Amumara had fallen. Most of the dormitories had
fallen or close to. The tutors’ quarters had not escaped the same fate. The
school compound was overgrown with bushes. Classes had just ended when we
arrived. The students ran away when they saw us with a camera. They refused to
have their photograph taken. Reason? They felt concerned that we were going to
use their photographs to conjure some type of juju to make money for ourselves.
They feared that some kind of 419 was in the unwrapping. I appealed to them to
pose a group photograph; that I was on a fact-finding tour that could prove to
be of advantage to them. Some felt convinced and posed for the photograph. The
School Prefect was not convinced and kept on going.
We
treaded the narrow path through the overgrown bushes to the Principal’s
office. Mr. Nwosu, the Principal, a native of Chokoneze, welcomed us into his
small, crowded office after looking us over while convincing himself that we
were not terrorists or whatever he had in mind. I asked the Principal why this
state of decay at the school? Mr. Nwosu is a fast-talking man. He went through a
long story and finally summarized by saying that the government’s lack of
funding was largely responsible. I asked him to tell us how we, the ADU-America
can help the school. The Principal told me that the lack of electricity had
dealt a devastating blow to the school. He said the school had some computers
donated to them that had been in boxes. They have not been able to put the
computers to practical use due to no power. The students have, therefore, not
been exposed to this technology. I also found out that the school would need two
or three lawn mowers. The students were frail and smallish to the extent that
they would not be able to cut the bushes that had engulfed their school.
A
post-analysis with home people revealed that the school had lost a significant
student population to other parochial schools like the Chokoneze Secondary
School, the Okpofe Secondary School and other Comprehensive Schools. Student
population is somehow linked to government funding. Amumara Secondary School has
fallen victim to lack of funding. Schools are vastly becoming parochial. No
dormitory living is in place anymore. Students from Onitsha, Enugu, Aba,
Umuahia, Owerri, Nsukka, and Yoruba are something of the distant past. I am told
that Amumara Secondary School is already doomed; that it will die a natural
death. It is a painful picture, but those who understand how things work at home
said that this is the gospel truth about Amumara Secondary School. It is eerie
as it sounds. It is a sobering reality unless a miracle happens from God.
Contributed
by: Chidi Anyanwu, Ph.D, PE.