By PETER OKUTU, ABAKALIKI

IT was indeed an amazing sight that stirred up mixed reactions from residents of 7b, Nnorom Street, Ntezi-Aba, Abakaliki at the weekend. The discovery that the 200 years old tree usually worshipped by most of them had fallen without any visible external force left them baffled.

The tree with its massive size, weight and towering height was a worship centre for some residents, while others had described it as a deity responsible for the protection of the people of the area. Its location did not only serve as a point where sacrifices are offered but also a bus-stop for passengers who are leaving Ebonyi or coming into the State.

Speaking with Vanguard Metro, VM, the owner of a 12-bungalow building destroyed by the tree, Mr. Sunday Eze, called on the state government to quickly come to their aid by removing the tree and possibly assist them with basic amenities and reconstruction work.

*Stump and trunk of the fallen ancestral tree…awaiting traditional rite of cleansing before being cleared

VM gathered that the tree, which residents say had existed for over 200 years, fell on the fateful day, but fortunately it did not claim any life in the community.

Eze who is also a businessman noted that his family members were saved from the unfortunate incident because they had gone to Church when the tree fell. According to him, the only person who was inside the house when the tree fell was not hurt.

“We came back to see that the tree had fallen on the building and completely destroyed it and since then we have been suffering as we now depend on the mercy of neighbours to survive,” he said.

The landlord who lamented how his family lost most of their valuables as a result of the incident noted that half of the building was affected by the disaster as the roof and the walls suffered irredeemable cracks.

He said he has written to the State Ministry of Environment on the incident even as he solicited assistance from government, well- meaning individuals and organisations.

Residents of the area also called on the authorities to urgently remove the debris of the tree from the building. For Mrs Eugenia Abah, the tree meant several things to many people.

“They see it as a deity and it’s for this reason that its fall has brought fear to the residents,” she said.

A traditionalist who spoke with VM on condition of anonymity noted that the tree cannot be removed without the observance of some traditional rituals. According to him: “The tree was the spiritual shield of the area which protects the residents from evil and misfortunes”.

Reacting to the unfortunate incident and different appeals from the people of the area, the state Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Paul Okorie noted that the state government was prepared to assist the people in removing the fallen tree and restoring sanitation in the area.

He, however, insisted that the state government would allow the elders of the area perform the necessary traditional rites before the commencement of government intervention in terms of sanitation and reconstruction of building if necessary.

He said: “We cannot just enter the community and remove the tree on our own. The residents or the elders will first of all appease their gods or carry out all the necessary cultural requirements before we can come in and assistant them. From what we gathered some of the resident of the area usually worship the tree. The tree is seen as their god.

“After they finish the necessary appeasement we can now come in and remove the tree. We can hire or bring in an excavator or bulldozers to come and remove the tree so as to help the environmental condition of the area.

“They have written to my office and we are ready to assist them as soon as they do what is traditionally necessary in the area. We do not want to entangle ourselves with any cultural misdemeanour simply because we want to assist a community. So let the first thing be done first and we will come in”.