A recent outbreak of cholera and other water-borne diseases leading to the death of 10 persons has created fear in Amansea community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The community is home to the Ezu River where about 48 corpses at varying stages of de-composure were found floating in 2013. The source of the dead bodies were shrouded in mystery.

Worried by the strange deaths, the Village Head of Amaowele who doubles as a member of Igwe’s cabinet in Amansea, Chief Benjamin Onoania, told journalists that his people were unhappy that Anambra State Government had failed to fulfill its promise of sinking boreholes for them, after the dumping of corpses in their only source of water supply in 2013. Onoania said that although they temporarily stopped using water from the Ezu River after the discovery of the unidentified corpses, they were left with no choice than to continue drawing water from there since there was no alternative. He added that the resultant effect was the recent outbreak of cholera which, he said, experts had attributed to water-borne diseases.

The people of the community are also reportedly scared that their gods may be reacting to the ugly incident of 2013, as no fewer than 20 auto crashes have allegedly been recorded close to the Ezu River bridge since that incident.

Chief Onoania lamented that the gods were angry, “because they were not appeased after the dumping of the corpses, which was why there had been frequent motor accidents near the river.”

The village head noted that one of such accidents occurred recently in his own compound, during which a bus rammed on his gate, broke into the compound and destroyed a shop.

His words: “The bus knocked down two people who were rushed to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi where they were treated. These signs show that the gods are not happy. I am in danger, especially since the bus ran into my compound: the gods say that I have not done anything to appease the gods, as the representative of the village in the Igwe’s council.”

The chief regretted that the community has been abandoned, adding that the situation has only been used as a tool for political campaign during elections, as politicians in the state visited the community and made promises without fulfilling them when they got into office.

He noted that the community has officially appealed to Governor Willie Obiano, through its traditional ruler, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, and the member representing Awka North State constituency in the State House of Assembly, Mr Boniface Okonkwo to come to their aid. He said that so far, nothing concrete has come out of the appeals.

Onoania, however, appealed to the state government to provide the necessary materials required to appease the gods, because in line with their tradition, his people believe that Ezu River has spiritual powers that may affect the fortunes of the town.

•Photo shows Governor Obiano.

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