Preserving Monuments; Preserving the Tomorrow of our Ibusa

- Emeka Esogbue

The Ibusa community has a rich history, cultural legacy, values, artwork, architecture, and possible historical sites, but none of them appear to have been preserved. The Ani Oshe is the original location of habitation for the Igbuzo people. There is also the Ani Udo site, which is thought to be the initial settlement of Edini, Ogboli's founder, and is now part of the Ibusa community.

In contrast, both hallowed places, spiritually exalted by divine sanction and holding the utmost devotion and entitled to tremendous reverence since they are inviolable, consecrated, and devoted to sanctity as the oldest Igbuzo points of settlement, are utterly neglected.

The late Philip Ngozi Kwusike photographed and reported on the Ani Oshe, Umejei's first home, where his pot of charm was said to have dropped, leading to the foundation of the Igbuzo settlement, a few years ago, and readers were shocked to discover that the once sacred site in Umueze was becoming bushy and almost completely encircled by other structures.

Typical of the people, long debates raged over how to maintain the Igbuzo people's most holy spot, but as with anything else, the notion faded into obscurity. What should be a significant historical place does not receive appropriate attention. Indeed, it is doubtful if the people recall the debate to put the site in order.

One could argue that, despite producing bright and brilliant persons that are well regarded in terms of social values, the community rarely considers tourism, monuments, and the preservation of other key community sites. However, four individuals stand out for their services to the community in this endeavour and I will set out to name them. In terms of art promotion, Sir Augustine Ifedibar Nweke, who died recently, stands out as a sculptural contributor to Ibusa's aesthetic evolution.

Sir Augustine Ifedibar Nweke was the first to provide the Ibusa people an artistic impression of the Oboshi deity with long hair. The mermaid was artistically white in tone, with enormous rich breasts, a sharp nose, and a gorgeous woman's form. He did not operate alone; instead, he sought guidance from Ohene, the goddess' priest and Ngozi Onwordi who was said to have descriptively aided him on what the deity looked like after she dreamt and saw the mermaid. Sir Nweke also gave the public an artistic peek of Prince Umejei Ikenga, the Igbuzo community's founder. The "Aho Mmili Li Umuaka Igbuzo" statue, with its abashed broken body, is on public display in Umueze. If the metaphorical local traders plunged into the River Niger, the artwork would collapse due to neglect.

The second Ibusa personality is Dr. Austin Nonyelim Izagbo, a former State Commissioner and Town Union President-General. Izagbo needs no introduction to the community. His presence here is the focal point of the community's leisure park. Izagbo used an area of land in Umuodafe wisely and set it aside for leisure purposes. At this moment, Kefas Park occupied both adults and children's leisure time, and any time spent there was worthwhile.

Mr Frank Atuche, a community member, began renovating Sacred Heart Elementary School several years ago. The first school in Ibusa was Sacred Heart Elementary School, which was founded in 1898 by Catholic Missionaries and then moved to its current location in 1908.

When redesigning the school, Mr Atuche reserved a block of classrooms to preserve the ancient structure built by the European Missionaries. In contrast to the wholesale demolition of the community's original church, Mr Atuche demonstrated a sense of preservation. If Atuche had demolished the first school edifice, the first church and the first school in the community of academics would have been lost to future generations' memories.

Hon Chief Innocent Esewezie, the former boss of Oshimili North Council, is the last of the four 'social figures'. Esewezie, in his capacity as Local Government Chairman, built an aesthetically pleasing edifice near the community's entrance to welcome guests. It is a cynosure that draws attention to the community's entry and exit points. A city gate would have been preferable but for the boundary conflict that plagues the town. Well, there are not many aesthetically pleasing pieces of art in Ibusa since there are not many, but Augustine Nweke has left a few, and there is just one leisure park in the town full of young adults, thanks to Izagbo.

The people simply have not shown an interest in this subject.

St Thomas College Ibusa, built in 1928, is the first higher education institution in Delta State and one of t he earliest in the entire Southern Nigerian Protectorate, and I believe it will be historically relevant to future Igbuzo generations, and indeed the world, if the original structure is preserved.

The next generation will undoubtedly be interested in seeing the original construction of the first higher education institution in the community. This curiosity alone is an act of patriotism.

Our people rarely consider monument preservation for commemorative or symbolic purposes, let alone as a memorial. What do we have to show the world about our ancient beginnings? Our Ibusa should have key tourist destinations.

Everything should never become modern because our origins were not modern. I believe we should start thinking about tourism and then work toward establishing a museum in the community. The Ibusa Community Development Union should have left a legacy for the people by establishing a museum committed to object collecting, conservation, study, exhibition, and educational interpretation. This would benefit our community in terms of science, history, culture, and the arts.

A few years after the church in Ibusa, which was built in 1898 and debated by the British Parliament at the time, was mistakenly demolished, it is impossible to obtain a photograph of that structure with any indigenous person today.

How, for example, will future British citizens see the framework they approved for the community rather than punitive measures? Asaba has since discovered this and is well ahead of others. While the Lander Brothers meeting occurred in Aboh, with the anchorage still present, Asaba appears to own a duplicate, and while Mungo Park was nowhere near Asaba, there is a Mungo Park House nearby.

If the government is unable to transform the Okpuzu Falls into a cutting-edge tourism destination, multiple Igbuzo-owned businesses can band together to do it on behalf of the people.

It is time to think a tourist Ibusa.