Instead of juvenile responses to the earth tremor striking Abuja, NEMA should have taken time to explain the dangers when the earth slides into instability

Emma Okocha

‘‘Sambisa, the forest which over the years had protected the Lake Chad Basin….is being decimated by the irresponsible over kill sorties of the Air Force. From those desolate patches down to the Benue, to the Atlantic, it used to be Equatorial forest belt. Apart from the Congo Equatorial belt there is no other ecosystem like that still in existence…. that is why we are against the pillaging of the last green Equatorial belt for the East-West highways.’’

READ ALSO: Amaechi, don’t destroy our last Equatorial ecosystem

Nobody in this country would be able to tell exactly what happened when Nigeria was shaken by the first Abuja tremor. Was it the first time ever in this country? After the Maitama Abuja frightening tremor, are we satisfied with responses the ‘‘Experts’’ and especially the NEMA have offered as far as per definition of that pestilence. Significantly did anybody educate us further on the scientific relationship between earth tremors and real earthquakes.

Like most folks we are still waiting to be educated. Apart from our abnormal religious hysterics who on the site of any approaching apocalypse would hallucinate and shout; not our portion, we need more information as the days run into months. Few days after, it is a conclusive affirmation that the people cannot be said to be convinced by the illiterate retort of the NEMA. ‘‘Hide under your table when the tremor strikes! In countless vituperation, the NEMA and those so called experts continue flabbergast …

Whenever you are losing your ground grab your kitchen table and hide under it… bla bla … the tremor would come and go do not be frightened….

Other gallery discussants deceived the equally jejune panel. They go on and on… this is the first time this type disaster, which we know is of regular occurrences in Asia, Europe and parts of North and South America, is taking place in Nigeria….

Our Research punctures that deceptive narrative. Maitama is not the first time tremor in the country. Earth tremors have scientific relationship to earthquakes. Most likely its occurrence is a warning and may serve as a processor to the big one.

READ ALSO: FEMA expresses uncertainty over cause of Abuja earth tremor

Instead of the juvenile responses to the first major earth tremor striking at the Abuja highbrow Maitama and other districts, NEMA and the concerned departments should have taken their time to explain to the people the real dangers that are suddenly coming home when the earth slide into instability in their provinces. This NEMA would have brought to the camera those qualified officers in their rank and file; who had trained and duty toured likely earthquake devastated countries to take over and talk to us at this time.

If they did not anticipate this form of disaster why not consult and invite other experienced hands from these other countries to rush down and analyze the situation and then prepare us for any eventuality.

We cannot run away from natures’ pestilence and consequent reaction after we have either out of greed or ignorance decided to slaughter and dismember the green ecosystems of our God-given Equatorial regions.

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The last time I was praying the Minister of Transport to spare for us the protective compact forest surrounding the East-West highway, many maroons who don’t understand the meaning of Development went for my head.

READ ALSO: Sallah: FRSC deploys personnel, emergency vans on East-West road

Before the East-West highway demolition of the green forest, illiterate politicians, visionless Governors of Rome had continuously savaged the green forest of our heritage. If they are not digging and foraging deep into the forests, the farm lands hiding their dollars and pound loots; they are busy forcefully coveting the community commonwealth of the forest green lands to themselves. These forest lands handed over in pure green from generation to generation are now crying and mourning, brutally sentenced to disappear on top of burning cauldrons.

(See “The Vegetable Are Talking To Me” in Emma Okocha’s LAST DANCE ON THE NIGER, New York, 2006)

Hence the beautiful Mambila Plateau has been defiled.

Okpanam’s Valley of heavens is crucified. In the place of that wonder Green, we now see houses, hotels climbing on each other’s illicit wings, hanging perilously in disorganized junketing units on top of a brutalized wasted topography.

See what the Wawa Honorables Ministers, Commissioners have done to Enugu Independence Layout and beyond! They brought goats from their villages to eat up the periwinkles. The honey smelling flowers the white DOs and the Missionaries planted in Queens College, CIC and the Anglican Girls!!

See what Mr. Project did to the beautiful Pitakwa city of Port Harcourt.

All of you greedy Generals, Admirals, Air Marshals, Helicopter Overseers collectively, you have over years descended on Maitama the super Grandeur. Gradually in your rapacious quest for more land and space to build another one, this time for your eleventh zombie son or your sixth Basheba baby girl, you wiped out the green spaces on the Shagari Way, Maitama Abuja.

I have news for you all. That tremor according to my crying Vegetables came from Nature. Nature will return to take its course.

Hide under your kitchen table.

READ ALSO: How to eat fruits and vegetables