By Obong Akpaekong
Many prophets will not see a divine revelation on flooding as a message from God to a nation. Not so with Bishop Emmah Isong, the presiding bishop of Christian Central Chapel International, CCCI, in Calabar.
On January 1, the man of God told the nation in his prophecy No. 35: “Flooding continues, affecting some household items, some buildings. Only God will protect us. Rain is supposed to bring us blessing, and not a curse.”
It is believed that this prophecy has more than fulfilled in the course of the year. In the last one week alone, flood water has swept away many houses and business premises, rendering several thousands of people homeless. Many others have also lost their lives to the year’s huge and cruel flooding. A lot of money has been spent on mitigation of the flood while many living on coastal lands have been advised to relocate upland.
On October 4, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, reported an unprecedented flood in border areas of Kogi and Enugu states. It said up to 35,200 people were affected in the flood in Uzo-Umani LGA of Enugu State with some 53,800 hectares of farm land submerged, alongside houses, roads, bridges, schools, health facilities, worship places and markets.
According to Mustapha Ahmed, director-general of NEMA, the flooding, which affected 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, resulted in the loss of over 300 lives, 500 persons suffering various forms of injury, more than 100,000 persons rendered homeless and another 500,000 affected by the flood in one other way or another. United Nations also reported a cholera outbreak in parts of the north-east of the country, attributing it to widespread contamination of water sources by flooding.
Jigawa State is one of the worst affected states with floods killing more than 20 people in the last week and a total of 92 persons during the year.
Yusuf Sani Babura, head of Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency, is quoted as telling Associated Press, AP, “We are facing devastating floods beyond our control. We have tried our best and we couldn’t stop it.” The news agency reported that there were “worsening fear so far disruption of food supply in Africa’s most populous country.”
According to Floodlist, there have been heavy flood in the states of Lagos, Anambra, Federal Capital Territory, Borno, Ebonyi, Rivers, Bauchi and Benue, as well as Jigawa, Yobe and Adamawa from June to September. The flood swept away the lives of 10 people in Adamawa. Flooding also wrought havoc in Taraba, Delta, Kano and Gombe states. By mid September, 3,274people were affected while about 1,213 houses were destroyed in Benue State.
Kogi State has also witnessed torrents of devastating flood, with Lokoja, the state capital and Ajaokuta LGA, among the worst affected areas. Hundreds of homes have been damaged in Lokoja, Ajaokuta and elsewhere. The state government initially housed some 10,000 displaced persons in schools and temporary camps.
Yahaya Bello, governor of the state, said the flooding affected nine local government areas namely, Lokoja, Ajaokuta, Kogi-Koto, Ofu, Igalamela-Odolu, Bassa, Idah, Ibaji and Omala. Bello, who described the flood situation in the state as a “humanitarian tragedy,” said in a statement on October 1, “I am deeply distressed by the scope of devastation and suffering that has already been visited on our people by the rising flood waters of this year.”
Gov. Bello, who said 2022 witnessed Nigeria’s worst flood disaster in a decade appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to declare the flood disaster a national emergency.
Earlier today, Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, also called on the federal government to declare the current flooding in the country a national emergency. He said of the flooding, “Yet again, we have a situation in our hands that calls for national emergency, both in the management of climate change challenges and providing palliatives to victims of the flooding disasters in order to soften the effect in the lives of individuals and families.”
Lagos State government on Wednesday warned residents of more impending flood and advised those living on the banks of Ogun River to relocate upland. Tunji Bello, commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, asked those living on the Ogun River banks to be vigilant as the situation might be worsened through release of water from Oyan Dam by the managers of Ogun Oshun River Basin Development Authority, which has increased the level of water in the lagoon.
According to Africanews, flooding in Nigeria is a result of river overflow, unusual rainfalls and the release of excess water from Lagdo dam in northern region of neighbouring Cameroun. The medium described the 2022 flood as the worst in the country in a decade. In his prophecy, Bishop Isong said rain was supposed to be a blessing, but this year’s rain has been the opposite.
