Ibusa: Rich in Okpuzu Waterfall, Poor in Tourism

 

Ibusa: Rich in Okpuzu Waterfall, Poor in Tourism

- Emeka Esogbue

One area the Ibusa community is lacking in development is the tourism sector. To think that the Ibusa community has everything but tourism is an unfavorable omen to the loaded people of the community. To further think that the community has what other communities do not have in the distinctive Okpuzu Waterfall is to be curious about what the people do with this endowment. In 2008, an article appeared online in which compilers called for the contributions of tourist sites in Delta State. This author (Dr. Emeka Esogbue), quickly listed the Okpuzu Waterfall, the steep descent water of the Oboshi River in the community as a potential site for tourism in Delta State. A few years later, the author received a call from a crew of researchers who attempted to dig into the waterfall for identification and documentation.

Sensing that the researchers whose planned journey to the fall had been announced would be accompanied by media crew, the author swiftly circulated calls on Ibusa-related social media forums, making appeal for any willing curator with sound traditional knowledge of the Oboshi River to volunteer himself for the task ahead. Archetypal to the love and passion of the people of the community for their communal affairs, a young man volunteered himself as a possible curator but the team of researchers never carried out the visit. Meanwhile, interests had become channeled to the community's to the Ibusa fall.

The author followed the botched visit with another article originally published in the defunct 'article.com' site later republished in 'ibusa.net,' believing that the Okpuzu Waterfall was good enough for tourism and that Ibusa would make gains from the site once believed to be sacred to the people of the community. Indeed, the area of the Okpuzu Waterfall provides a beautiful view to visitors with the sound of wild animals mostly monkeys often heard, making nature friendly to the visitors. It derives its name, "Okpuzu" from the frothy concentrated water that it spreads outward from a central source. It is from the concentration, rush and natural discharge of the water that the said name is derivative. It is etymologically, "the water molder."

The Okpuzu Waterfall lies in an area that is secluded and reserved from the vigorous life of the community. A sizzling spell of the environment, made welcoming by pleasant number of trees could take the visitor to another world. The water from the waterfall is pure and fresh and can be cold or warm depending on the weather. Here, large water rushes from the top of a mountain to the bottom. The velocity of the water that drops from a great height on the rocks which may have taken centuries to form produces awesome noise which is pleasant to the ears of the visitors. However, the fading sound gradually accompanies the visitor as he walks away from the scene inch by inch.

With time, interest on the people's waterfalls peaked. The author's article among several other issues raised, pointed to inability to classify the nature and category of the Okpuzu Waterfall as to determine whether it is the block, cascade or caprock model since it is yet to be explored. Water descends relatively from the rock which leaves an awe-inspiring sight. The height of the water drop cannot also be determined because official measurements have not been conducted by the government or private sector.

No citizen has ever taken the curiosity in actualizing this. This is typical of the community without any known approved diagrammatic representation showing the entire villages and other necessary features available to her; a well-approved map of the community, showing the ten quarters, rivers and other landmarks is not known to exist yet.  

On August 20, 2020, Frederick Odu published an article in which he introduced visitors to tourist sites in Asaba, the state capital. As reported by him, what to expect were the Lander Brothers Anchorage and Mungo Park House in Asaba which he detailed to visitors and next was the Okpuzu Waterfall in Ibusa which he aptly described to potential tourists to the Capital Development Area.

"Then, head to Ibusa town to explore the Okpuzu Falls. The water can be warm or cold depending on the weather and is an ideal place for picnicking, swimming, and enjoying natural views. There's a chance to encounter some wildlife and endemic flora during your visit," he submitted to lovers of tourism in the state.

The interest in Okpuzo Waterfall which had earlier been garnered soon became fleeting, fading off almost as quickly as the water from the said steep. Nothing was ever heard again until the then Delta State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Engr. Lawrence Ejiofor was reported in the news to have visited the Okpuzu Waterfall to ascertain the possibility of developing the fall to a tourists centre. The visit according to report released to social media was facilitated by then Executive Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development, Honourable Innocent Esewezie, who is an indigene and Director-General of the Delta State Community Youth Association but now Executive Chairman of the Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.

The report quoted Hon Esewezie as telling  the Commissioner that the Ibusa community, particularly was interested in developing the Okpuzu Waterfall and Umuogwo Umuekea Ezemese Camp to tourists’ centres in view of their potentiality to create jobs and boost the socio-economic lives of the people. Hopes of this author (Dr. Emeka Esogbue) who had taken decades to canvass for the development of the fall to a state of the art tourist centre in the country became high and those of other indigenes who also understood the significance of a tourist centre of that magnitude were aroused with keenness especially as the Commissioner being the first Government official to visit the fall in his official capacity had made a promise to the Ibusa public.

Engr. Ejiofor after listening to his hosts optimistically explained that private sector involvement was key to the development of the tourism sector, stressing that the investors must not come from the community. The Commissioner was also quoted as saying that the that government was already developing a Film Village at Ugbolu, which he said commenced in December last year, and would be completed by February, 2021.

Although Ejiofor could not be practically quoted as saying that the project would soon commence the argument from him further raised the hope of the people of the community who became assured that the development of the Okpuzu Waterfall awaited them in near future. It makes interest to note that until the end of the tenure of the Okowa administration, the development of the fall was never visited, and not even a plan was birthed. Worse still, nothing was heard of it again. Hon Innocent Esewezie had done the best he could by channeling attention to the project that would improve the tourist sector of the state but like past administrations of the state, the Okowa's gubernatorial agenda had never considered the Ibusa community in his agenda despite the numerous number of his aides from the community. It gets more ironical to think the nearness of the community to Asaba, the state capital.

Okowa who has come and gone. Still, the development of the Okpuzu Waterfall is a necessity. The people need to stand up to the cause of their social affair. Being a wealthy community with wealthy indigenes, the people of Ibusa are capable of developing the waterfall. All that it would require them are the interest, willingness and partnership. Two large multinational firms owned by the people in partnership with the Local Government can execute the project. The history of the Ibusa community shows that she has always depended on self-help as little or no developmental efforts come from the government.    

It stands to truth that nothing in the whole of Ibusa captures people's interest as this geomorphic feature. If fully developed, the Okpuzu Waterfall will be visited by people from far and wide because it is beautiful and uncommon. Moreover, it will provide visitors with swimming, bathing and photography, and even more, depending on the extent of the development. For instance, if the initiators spend so much on its transformation, it could provide visitors with canyoning and if hospitality centres are considered in the development, there will be opportunities for temporary lodging for travelers or vacationers.   

The gains for Ibusa will be huge. First, visitors will learn about Ibusa with the cultures of the people. This will spark-off cultural exploration to the community. In the community, now experiencing mad rush for illegal sale of lands, followed by deforestation, the development of the Okpuzu Waterfall will help to preserve wildlife in the community and also provide the people friendly eco-view. A lot of these animals have gone extinct in the community without anyone bothering about it but the development of Okpuzu Waterfall may lead to the protection of the Ibusa ecosystem and wildlife habitat since an environment is not only a home for humans. Hence, conservation and Ibusa environmental education are essential to the growth of the community.

Okpuzu Waterfall is a prosperity for the development of Asaba-Ibusa-Okpanam axis because it has the potential to open the tourism of the area. It will further breathe life into Okpanam and Ogwashi-Uku on both ends and economically power these areas. There is no doubt that will generate income and job opportunities for the people of this area and beyond especially the youths. Local and artisanal markets of Ibusa, Okpanam, Asaba and Ogwashi-Uku will open as the people will choose to explore the new destination in Okpuzu Waterfall. Visitors will travel to Ibusa and the community will be discovered by outsiders and the narratives of these visitors will further attract others to the community. All these will happen if the people of Ibusa stand up to the test. There cannot be a giant Ibusa without a tourist centre especially when nature has gifted the people one in Okpuzu, a waterfall that will successfully change the destiny of the community.