Soil Creep Disaster: Ekiti Govt urges Okemesi residents to stay 300m away from Agboona Hill
Ekiti State Government has advised residents around Oke Agboona in Okemesi
Ekiti to stay at least 300 metres away from the hill as the likelihood of a
re-ocurrence of a natural phenomenon known as “Soil Creep” in the area was
high.
This was made known on Saturday by the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof.
Kolapo Olusola who led a delegation sent by the Ekiti State governor, Mr.
Ayodele Fayose to have an on-the-spot assessment of the havoc wrecked by
the creep last Thursday.
The deputy governor trekked with residents who trekked to the base of the
Agboona Hill.
Properties worth millions of naira were swept away by the creep in the
early hours of last Thursday, after three days of downpour in the ancient
town of Okemesi Ekiti.
Soil Creep is defined by Wikipedia as “the slow downward progression of
rock and soil down a low grade slope; it can also refer to slow deformation
of such materials as a result of prolonged pressure and stress”.
Prof. Kolapo Olusola, who congratulated the Owa Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti, Oba
Michael Gbadebo Adedeji and the entire people of Okemesi that no life was
lost as a result of the disaster, promised that the government will hold a
meeting with the Kabiyesi and stakeholders in Okemesi Ekiti on how to
minimise the effect in future.
“Governor Fayose sent us here to commiserate with residents whose
properties were destroyed by this large magnitude soil creep, there will be
a meeting with stakeholders on how to mitigate its effects if the natural
phenomenon occurs again in the future.
“Experts have said there is likelihood of a re-ocurrence, though it’s
painful that properties were lost and relocating is not expected to be
easy, we need to adhere to their advice that we stay 300 metres away from
the hill. Far beyond rituals and sacrifice, we have to hearken professional
advice, obedience is better than sacrifice”, Olusola said.
The delegation later visited the Owa Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti,”, Oba Michael
Gbadebo Adedeji in his palace where the Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo
Olusola delivered the governor’s message. He stressed the government’s
desire to do all it can to prevent loss of lives and properties.
“We have observed that there is a need for extensive drainage to allow
water gushing out of the rock have a passage in a way that will not do any
damage to the community at large. We are trusting God that despite paucity
of fund, something will be done”, he added.
Thanking the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose for his prompt
response and deeming it fit to send such a powerful delegation, Oba Gbadebo
Adedeji expressed delight at the thoroughness of the team’s assessment
saying he has no doubt that what befell Oke Agboona in form of a disaster
will turn out to be a source of infrastructural blessing to Okemesi.
The Owa Ooye who noted that people were already alluding spirituality to
the creep begged the governor to help expand the base of the Hill
(Eleyinmi).
“What happened on Thursday once happened in 1973 but nothing was done by
the government then, the creep also occurred in recent times but not of
this magnitude, I plead with your excellency to help us expand the mountain
base (Eleyinmi).
“If the base is expanded and a channel is created, a channel is there
already but needed to be expanded, once it is expanded, whenever a creep
occurs, the water and debris will have a place to move to. As it is now,
God forbid, if it happens before the expansion, it is most likely to be
disastrous”, Kabiyesi said.
On the governor’s team were the Commissioner for Environment, Otunba Bisi
Kolawole and Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications &
New Media, Lere Olayinka, who is an indigene of the town.
The team was received in Okemesi by Hon. Shina Animasaun, a member of the
state House of Assembly, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Ekiti
West Local Government, Alhaji Idris Agbabiaka, among others.
