IGBO IMABANA: WHAT WE NEED AS A PEOPLE. (PART ONE)
•AGRICILTURE
In the last two decades of my conscious existence within Abi and precisely Igbo Imabana town, I've learnt so much about the values, norms and culture that is being upheld by these group of communities that make up the region, politics wise.
Igbo Imabana Community is located in the North Eastern part of Abi Local Government Area and known for her rich soil which made the inhabitants to adopt/sustain agriculture as main occupation. Also, given the fact that right from time immemorial, agricultural experience within the location was used to validate different levels of attainment of status in the society. "The bigger your yam barn, the level of respect you earn".
In those days, my mom will tell me: "food was never part of our problems. We had different varieties of yam, cassava and so on, in abundance.
During our new yam festival, you will see different shapes and sizes of yam and one will wonder how many years it will take to consume such humongous produce".
Although, as of now, technology and other agents of modernization and civilization have blown their wings of change across the settings of the community. Most of the things we once had in abundance are no more in existence and same way, we are now focusing our attention on new trends.
Just like in the words of Lana Lang, he said "Life is about change. Sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes it’s beautiful. But most of the
time, it’s both", we can agree that the change and experience which the Community has gone through is both sweet and bitter.
Those years of bountiful yield was occasioned by stress, blunt agricultural tools, hard labor and poor storage facilities.
Coming forward to modernization and civilization, the Community has succeeded by placing herself one among other communities who can boast of producing Professors, Doctors of different philosophies, medical practitioners, leaders of different political parties, owners of industries and employers of labour, civil servants, top government and private enterprise officials, and so on.
However, despite the status we now have, it is painful to note that little has been done in the area of improving agricultural yield ever since the advent of civilization. Just like our country Nigeria is dependent on oil production and allowing the agricultural sector to suffer loss, we too have not done enough to improve our yield.
Let those in political positions know that 60% of the average people in our community depends solely on the production and sales of agricultural produce to make ends meet and hence, the need for improved farming mechanisms to be employed.
The people of Igbo Imabana are hardworking and wants any available opportunity to showcase what they're made up of. Like I said earlier, modernization and civilization has caused a lot of changes in the community and things has gone wrong in some sector of the community's economy of which agriculture is chief.
Employing modern farming methods and equipments can boost the production quality and quantity of the community.
Cassava, yam, oil palm and rice are the major crops/plants cultivated within the area. If those in government and well-to-do individuals can attract grants, agricultural workshops and modernized farming equipments empowerment to the people of this area, the workforce/employment rate will increase and hunger too will be defeated.
Agriculture has a way of curbing crimes in the society. Very important to mention is the fact that, as days of making bountiful yields continues, no wise man will abandon it for crime.
The people of Igbo Imabana needs improved farming equipments so as to make their labor count. The market value of our community rest on how much farm produce the market can boast of.
The varieties of crops produced in Imabana if improved, will produce millionaires and rate of unemployment will reduce.
Closing with this last quote will give you more conviction that as a people, we are ready to move forward despite the change that may come:
"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join
the dance" - Alan W. Watts.
Emmanuel Richard
Writes from Ebor, Igbo Imabana.
Abi Local Government Area.
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