By Davies Iheamnachor
RUMUJI—BUILT over a century ago, it is the oldest storey-building standing at Mgbuomodu, Rumuji community, Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State.

It is also believed to be the oldest of its kind in Ikwerreland. Some people are of the view that it should be the oldest of such structures in the state.

Although, none of the people spoken to by Niger Delta Voice in Rumuji could name the exact date the skyscraper was erected by late Chief Aite Igwe, they said the house could have been erected between 1890 and 1896.

Beholdthe124-yr-old Storey building in Ikwerreland

They said it is older than every man in the whole town, including the oldest man in the town, Mr. Amadi, said to be 100 years old.

The people of Rumuji have continually eulogized the effort of Chief Aite Igwe, who was said to have built the first upstairs in Ikwerre.

They said he, Igwe, having worked with the first breed of Westerners that came to the area, was able to utilize his wealth to enrich the history of his people, which many of his kind could not.

The grandson of the late Chief Igwe, Elder Gabriel Igwe, who was born January 28, 1953, said his mother told him that the house was built so many years before he was born and that his grandfather died in 1950, about three years before he was born.”

Late Igwe was made a chief in the community because of his social class. He attracted the Customary Court to the town and was one of the traditional judges that handled customary issues.

Distinctiveness

In the olden days, houses were built according to the social class a person belongs.

But the Orho elu (storey building) built by the late Igwe added another dimension to the types of houses known then. It is the first of its kind.

Elder Gabriel said: “I am very happy anytime I see that house, because it reminds me that my own father was the first to live in a house that is decked, which nobody had seen that time.

“Then our friends call us people who live in the sky. Even as old as I am, I am always happy whenever I see that building. They told me that that kind of house was in no other place at that time except in my father’s compound.

“People who are building that kind of structures now are only learning from what my father did in the area. You can see that the house they are building now is quite different from this one.

“Today, there are air conditioners, which people used to make their own cool. But that one that my father built is always cool, so it does not need air conditioner. It has natural cooling system.

“When you look at the wall, it is so fine. It was neither plastered nor tiled, but its wall looks as if it has tiles.

“Notwithstanding that it was built with ordinary mud, it is so durable. It is so strong that you cannot demolish it.

Building materials

“You cannot compare today’s storey structures with that one built by my father because the materials they used were amazing.

“Apart from the fact that it may seem outdated today, the material used for that house cannot be nicely used by today’s builders and engineers.

“The block used is just red-mud, which was molded and burnt before use. The decking and the staircase were done with woods. They are hard woods, which I do not think can be found anywhere again around.

“The zinc used is far better than the ones we have today. The builders did not use iron. It was just wood. Yet, till date the building is still very much strong.”

Why the building can’t be demolished

He said: “The building remains the only standing ornament by a legend in the land of Rumuji. If we demolish it, it is the same thing as our father’s name has gone extinct and we will not try it.

“It is also a taboo to bring down a building in Rumuji land. We cannot attempt to bring it down.

“The building will stand so that if our children come of age, they too will see what their great-great grandfather built. Our children will always be happy when references are made to the standing building.”

He advised modern builders to emulate the type of technology used in those days, saying the building has stood the test of time and till date, people still live in the building. ay