HRH EZE KINGSLEY AKOBUNDU WOGU (PHD, JP), EZE OHA IV OF OYIGBO URBAN IN THIS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW IN HIS PALACE IN OYIGBO TOWN ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2026 SPOKE ON THE RAVAGES OF FLOODS IN HIS KINGDOM
* How is the flood situation in Oyigbo town so far this year?
Eze Wogu:- The floods we’re talking about, I’ve reported, I’ve cried out loud several times. The Press Secretary was here last year, even two years ago. Government only comes to give us relief materials, palliatives. But that’s not what we’re looking for. What we’re asking for is them to come in and do the roads. NDDC came here and abandoned projects and went away. Our drainage systems have collapsed. My people are suffering, I’m suffering. If you see the pressure here every day. Don’t worry, if you have time, I’ll take you round and show you what’s happening in Oyigbo. People have ran away from their houses, the floods have fallen a lot of buildings.
* We’re talking about the floods this year?
Eze Wogu:- Yes, last week this year. I’ll show you properties that were destroyed. A child died at Umusaya. Flood carried him.
* What’s the name of the child?
Eze Wogu:- Em, Sylvester, popularly known as Aboy. The flood has dealt with us. Did you enter through the main gate to my Palace here? No. You passed through the back. That’s what the flood is doing to us. So, even everybody is crying, everybody is running. You can’t go to the farm, flood has taken over the whole farms.
* Your Highness, when NIMET gave the flood alerts earlier, what did you do?
Eze Wogu:- I called my people, we came out, we had to tell the LGA chairman, we had to tell the state government to come to our aid. They’re only giving us palliatives. That’s not our problem, our problem is solving the problem, killing the flood. . .
We’re close to Imo River and these things should be channelled to Imo River here. What the former Governor of Rivers state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi did for us has gone bad because there’s no maintenance.
* Are these floods natural or artificial?
Eze Wogu:- Well, it’s both natural and man made. Artificial in the sense that some people dump their refuses into gutters and drainage systems. But the major cause is natural. What do we do? Get us proper drainage systems. Look at what they did here on Palace Road. Is that a drainage system? That’s no drainage. The drainage system on the major old Aba Road that Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi did for us is blocked. The drainage system is so narrow that it can’t take the volume of water flowing to Imo River. The one that the CCEC did recently on the Express road is trying but it’s still not able to carry the volume of water flowing through it. So, water comes from there into the town. That one is on the Express and these micro systems could not carry it . . .
* What about the multi national company operating the Afam Power station? Have you contacted them?
Eze Wogu:- Even light; we don’t have electricity, only poles. We have written to them severally. . .
* We also learnt that the state Ministry of Environment is billed to come to inspect the flood situation in Oyigbo town. Are you aware of that?
Eze Wogu:- Yes, I’m aware of it but I don’t know when they’re coming. But they say they would come. Even, as at yesterday, a team from Abuja came, I have their list in my office, they have interviewed every person in all the wards in Oyigbo. According to them, they went round the ten wards of Oyigbo. They saw it themselves yesterday, that little rain yesterday, they saw it for themselves. When we have Imo River close by here. . . The LGA chairman said they don’t have the capacity to do the required drainage system . . .
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* Let’s quantify what these floods have caused your kingdom this year?
Eze Wogu:- It had caused over four hundred billion Naira because buildings have collapsed, people have died, vehicles have been destroyed. Our crops, livestocks and others have been destroyed by these floods so far this year. And the rainfall is yet to abate.
