The sound of birds chirping and frogs croaking annoyingly loud are perhaps the first indication of what lie ahead as you make your way into Moro. Tucked in the heart of large swathes of uncultivated land dotted by odd-looking trees and thick bushes in the extremes of Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, the town, with about 3,000 inhabitants, is completely cut off from the eyes of the public – except for individuals, who know the area quite well. Lacking traces of modern life or other elements suggesting normal daily living, the community, like the mystery surrounding many of its practices, is unique in many ways.

Arriving in the town, whose inhabitants are of the Ketu tribe and largely farmers, after about 40 minutes ride from Oja-Odan – a densely populated and semi-urban area more than 12 kilometres away – during a recent visit, our correspondent witnessed first-hand the plight of residents of the agrarian community. Apart from being greeted by the sight of rash-infested faces as he made his way into Moro, more gruesome discoveries awaited our reporter as he trudged deeper into the sleepy town. With irritation of all kinds firmly settled on the skins of the locals – young and old – it was not so difficult to see how unpleasant life was in this part of the world. Combine this with the unfriendly smell emanating from the bodies of most of the residents – and a first-time visitor is sent into a state of temporary asphyxiation.

A barrage of challenges

Plagued by dozens of challenges that have since reduced daily existence to a living hell for many of Moro’s impoverished inhabitants, each day brings a different level of uncertainty to the area. But more than anything else, it is the unavailability of potable water in this Ogun town and neighbouring settlements that has wreaked the most havoc on the land. From farmlands to the many old buildings dotting the landscape in Moro, the pitiable sight of dejection and fast fading hope is all your eyes show you.

“There is no word to describe our suffering in this community,” traditional head of the town, Nathaniel Esun, told Saturday PUNCH. “We wake up every day not knowing how to survive because of lack of water to do basic things.

“The closest source of water to us, which is about five kilometres away, is a pond of muddy water where Fulani herders mostly take their cows to for a drink.

“But because we don’t have options, we are most times forced to drink that same water and then fall ill for several days. We have complained to the local government authorities on several occasions about this problem but each time we go there, all they tell us is to keep enduring the situation.

“Our people are dying in droves as a result of the lack of clean water,” the 75-year-old added.

Strange practice

Indeed, life in Moro can be likened to swimming across a crocodile-infested lake. For instance, due to the lack of clean water, residents of this community are forced to go several days without even pouring a cup of water on their bodies. During the visit to the town, our correspondent discovered that what is generally regarded as bathing in the literal sense is not the same as the people’s definition here. While in communities where there is adequate water supply, individuals wash their bodies at least once a day; in Moro, having a bath means dipping a small piece of cloth in muddy water to mop your skin once in 10 days. On some occasions, it could take up to two weeks before such ‘ritual’ is performed again. To keep the skin moist and help combat irritation, those, who can afford it, apply heated palm oil over their bodies from time to time. It is the same for most of the town’s growing army of children, who as a result of the situation, go to school without bathing or brushing their teeth for at least 10 days.

https://punchng.com/moro-ogun-town-where-residents-bathe-once-in-10-days-wash-clothes-twice-in-six-months/

another one

naija government na scam

... And no single picture of the town? And all they need is just one or two boreholes, they should stop expecting government to do it for them abeg coz they won't, carry aboki go there, drill local Well and that's all.

How can someone go days without bathing, when you are not a mad man?

so
they
cannot
dig
well
abi

or
they
need
government
to
dig
for
them

even
we
in
town
don't
have
portable
water.
it
may be
there
soil
is
made
of
rock

Pictures or

I was thinking Ogun IGR is awesome and the Lagos Ibadan expressway told us their Development is next to Luxembourg

Take these media serious at your own peril

I know that South west is undeveloped...go to Okitipupa And see another one

IkpuMmadu:
I was thinking Ogun IGR is awesome and the Lagos Ibadan expressway told us their Development is next to Luxembourg

Take these media serious at your own peril

I know that South west is undeveloped...go to Okitipupa And see another one

The story about this town is right because my town ilaro is not too far from there this people are really suffering.
Besides this town is along the road which is federal government road.