Auchi: A Prosperous Land on the Brink of Swallowing Itself

Nestled in the heart of Edo North, Auchi Sacred Kingdom stands as a beacon of hope and unity. A melting pot of cultures, traditions, and aspirations, this vibrant community thrives as a testament to Nigeria’s potential for harmony and growth. Under the enlightened reign of His Royal Highness, Alhaji Aliru H. Momoh, Ikelebe III, Auchi has blossomed into a trade hub, a collage of diversity where dreams take root. Yet, beneath this facade of progress, a silent predator gnaws at the very foundations of this sacred land—erosion.

The first rains of 2025 arrived on January 19th, not as a blessing, but as a harbinger of dread. For Auchi’s residents, each droplet echoes like a drumbeat of doom. The scars of 2024 remain fresh: 54 torrential downpours devoured homes, uprooted electricity poles, gutted schoolyards, and transformed bustling roads into jagged ravines. Farmlands, once lush with promise, now lie as skeletal remains, stripped bare by the hungry jaws of gullies. The harmattan winds, though fleeting, offered no reprieve—only a cruel pause before another marathon of destruction.

What cuts deeper than the erosion itself is the indifference of those entrusted with power. Generations have lined up, voting under the emblem of the ‘Umbrella’ or the ‘Broom’, yet neither symbol has shielded Auchi from neglect. The community’s cries for help vanish into bureaucratic voids, dismissed as whispers in a storm. How many more homes must crumble? How many more children must dodge landslides on their way to school? The hydra-headed menace of erosion, with its tangled roots of neglect and apathy, grows fiercer with each ignored plea.

Imagine a mother clutching her child as the earth beneath their house splits open. Picture a farmer weeping over fields swallowed overnight, his livelihood erased. Envision students navigating treacherous gullies where roads once stood, their uniforms caked in mud. These are not hypothetical horrors—they are daily realities for Auchi’s people whenever the rains arrive. The kingdom’s resilience is undeniable, but even resilience has its limits. “Shall we continue to die whilst we draw breath?” asks a voice from Utsogun Heritage Zone, The Community’s Eye that has seen it all, now echoing the anguish of thousands.

Auchi’s story need not end in tragedy. The solutions exist: reforestation, drainage systems, gabion walls, and sustainable land management. Yet, these require more than petitions—they demand political will. To the government, we ask: Will you act only when Auchi becomes a footnote in history, remembered as a kingdom devoured by its own earth? To the world, we plead: Witness our struggle, amplify our voice.

Remember that time drips away like the relentless rains. Auchi, a land of light and opportunity, teeters on the edge of an abyss. But within this crisis lies a seed of hope—a chance for leaders to rise, not as distant figures, but as guardians of their people. Let 2025 be remembered not as the year Auchi fell, but as the year humanity triumphed over neglect. The Otaru’s vision of a sacred kingdom can still endure, but only if hands, hearts, and resources unite to reclaim the land. The rains are here. The clock ticks. Act now, or let history judge our silence as complicity.

I am Elho Evbho
Äta khu sọ, rọ gbọgọmhọ. Umhiẹ uvbha ghwèrhè, rọ gbokpisha!
I have seen and delivered the message.
Let us take heed and save Auchi Sacred Kingdom.

️ Jeremiah Enaholo Kadiri
19/02/025

Cc:
Pres Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
National House of Assembly Abuja
VP Kashim Shettima
Sen Adams Oshiomhole
Hon. Anamero Sunday Dekeri
HE Sen Monday Okpebholo
Hon. Dennis Idahosa
Ecological Consciousness

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