“UMU-AMA” NDI-AGWALA: A COMMUNITY DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT ORIENTED STRATEGY THAT WORKED, BUT NOW ABANDONED

The road above (see attached picture) may appear ordinary, but of a truth, it is special in some ways. Looking at it, it may not hold any special appeal, because it has none. It has all the attributes of a road in a rural community, a typical village. That is all it can boast of, therefore, may not hold any fancy or present any major attraction to so many people, after all, it is not even tarred, no trees doting the corners or it's sides, not even expensive houses, different sky-scrapers, or what many people will prefer to describe as high rising/storey buildings lined up side by side on the road.

The point is it is not the beauty of this road that matters or counts, but the value of it, socially and economically, and the benefit to the inhabitants of the community that owns the road. The efforts, commitments and joy, love, care and determination shown by Umu-Agwala over the years. The history of the Community reveals a particular strategy adopted by the community that whenever it is remembered, like I just did, resurrects in one, over and over, again and again, such nostalgic feelings that take time before evaporating.

Think of the very unprecedented and impact driven approach to community development that Ndi-Agwala, Echiele Otampa, Isuikwuato, in Isuikwuato Local Government Area, Abia state, South-East, Nigeria, adopted for many years, towards the maintenance of this road and you only but shudder, marvel and get saturated by thoughts that make you settle down with the feeling that the work and the efforts were special, indeed very unique.

Going down memory lane, one is confronted with the story of how and when Umu-Agwala left the old portion of their ancestral Land to re-settle at the present place. The elders of that time sat down and came up with a very helpful strategy that was not only put to test but that worked effectively and efficiently, permit me to say perfectly. It indeed worked for many decades and has not been faulted in any way.

The elders of that time handed over the maintenance of this road to their teenage boys, and the boys, a little younger than the teenage boys. These boys were called Umu-Ama, which literally means "children of the village square". This road maintenance and community development process adopted by the elders and the community were specifically designed to make the lads focused, active and duty oriented, responsive and responsible, to learn obedience and become hardworking and accountable adults among other benefits to them and the community.

Without constant supervision and promptings from the elders, the Umu-Ama ensured that this road got full attention and the maintenance it deserved was surely given to it.

Week in, week out, month after month, precisely every Saturday, these boys went about patching, filling and clearing, keeping the road shining, cleared regularly of any debris and making it usable at all times.

I do not wish to go into mentioning other activities of the Umu-Ama, and how the maintenance of this road helped groom them into responsible adults. 

One thing I am very sure and optimistic about and must mention is the fact that the system worked effectively, efficiently and consistently while it lasted and this road was properly if not adequately maintained until the structure collapsed around 1995 or there about.

Continuing, the only things on my mind so far, right now are:

How did Umu-Ama collapse? Why did it collapse? Why? Why and Why?

Chinwoke Nnabugwu.