Achina Tourism Site: Ezekoro Stream potential

Achina Tourism Site: Ezekoro Stream

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Achina Community briefly is one of the largest and well positioned town in Aguata LGA in Anambra State, Nigeria.

During the struggle for the creation of Aguata South local government (Amaiyi), which commenced in 1980:

Committee inaugurated at the middle of 1981, in time of Chief Jim Nwobodo the then executive Governor of old Anambra, accepted Achina be the Headquarters of Amaiyi LGA in 1982.

Streams in Achina

However, Achina Town like other lucky towns around, is naturally blessed with streams like:

Iyi-ohuru, Nwangele, Iyi-Nwaoku, Ezekoro Stream etc.

Ezekoro Stream among other natural stream Achina is blessed with, is the great pride of Achina Town.

History with some oral evidences proved that the Americans who anchored Achina “the American Peace Corps” with the efforts of Achina people and Government-

Created steps from the top of the Ezekoro entrance, down to the female water harvesting source of the Ezekoro Stream; before independence.

Reach Potentials of the Ezekoro Stream and forest

One will wonder why the foreigners, Achina people, and the government did not Channel such attention to other streams.

Is however, not unconnected with the fact that Achina and the Ezekoro Stream and forest is well positioned and resourceful.

The St. Peter’s Secondary School Achina, formerly Teachers Training College (T.T.C), that anchored Achina long in 1948-

Later, converted into secondary school in 1960, sourced water from Ezekoro Stream.

The students and Staffs, including the PV Men and the Colonial Masters back in 1912-

Who lived in “Abanwagu” (St. Peter’s College Achina) before the T.T.C was established found Ezekoro Stream resourceful.

All sourced water from the Ezekoro Stream Achina. And enjoyed the beautiful environment that Ezekoro Stream and forest offered.

Pride of Achina Tourism Site: Ezekoro Stream

Ezekoro Stream is as old as Achina Town. And has over 11 century ago, accommodated wildlife around it’s thick forest called: “Ohia Ezekoro.”

No doubt that Lions and other wildlife existed in the Ezekoro forest.

The Lions was what gave it the name “Abanwagu.”
Note: Lion in Igbo translation means Agu.

And the last a Lion in Ezekoro forest appeared publicly was few decades ago.

The Ezekoro forest and stream stretches to Akpo: Achina neighboring community, and beyond.

Ezekoro Stream and forest has very large expanse of resourceful land.

Land, available for modern international development, up to the developing “Peter University.”

Ezekoro Stream Steps construction

Eye witness report on Ezekoro Stream steps construction stated:

“Before the Ezekoro steps was constructed, the people of Achina and beyond founded it very difficult to harvest water from the Ezekoro Stream.

One have to fetch water from Ezekoro Stream using track routes full of moulds, which if one is not meticulous, will loose his or her fetching pot.

He continued… Ezekoro Stream water was an expensive commodity. Getting a cup of Ezekoro water for saturation was like a gift of a child.

According to the narrator who was in his 90s, Chief Dom Chuks Nwosu (Obidigbo Achina), that the opportunity came when he was in active service.

Divisional Officer (DO) in Awka Division in the 1956 Mr Chike Okoyia the DO who is a native of Ogbaru, informed him (Obidigbo) that some students on Youth service:

“American Peace Corps” from the American Universities are coming down for community development with the movement team “Operation Cross Road Africa.”

Achina Tourism Site: Ezekoro Stream

Leadership involvement

The Divisional Officer in charge of Awka Division accepted directing the American Youth Corppers to Achina after wide consultation, for community development service.

Obidigbo came back to Achina and broke the news to the Achina people.

And it was during the time of Chief B.O Ezenwa as Chairman Achina Patriotic Union (APU); while Rev. E. A. Akunne was Secretary of the then APU.

Happily, Achina people accepted constructing steps down to Female section of the Ezekoro Stream, as a community project.

The women wing (Umuada Achina) also nodded to it.

Achina people were able to cut down trees from the top of Ezekoro entrance down to the women section of the Ezekoro Stream-

And cleared the trees from the route, for steps construction to take place.

The DO of Awka Division included the Ezekoro Stream steps project into the government budget-

And was able to provide all the cements used for the project.

Contributions

Some Achina Men were busy cracking stones at Ugwu nganga with the Umuada Achina assisting in bringing the cracked stones to the site (Ezekoro Stream)-

For the steps construction; which was carried out by the Operation Cross Road Africa, the American Universities students team, who were the American Peace Corps.

Some Professional Masons from different villages in Achina like Mr. Charles Onuma, etc., Were assisting them, wherever they needed their services.

Mr. Christopher Uduji, Levi Ezeani etc, were some notable Achina citizens who also played part in some way.

Fruitful Efforts

In all, the American Peace Corps were in Achina at Abanwagu for 2 Months plus, and constructed 276 steps from the entrance down to the Female section of the Ezekoro Stream.

Year 2000, there was landslide that swallowed some of the steps too; which attracted the attention of the Anambra State government, professionals etc-

Which resulted in Achina people planting Bamboos and Melina trees to prevent further ecological damage to the Ezekoro Stream and forest.

Inscriptions at Achina tourism site: Ezekoro Stream

Note: At the 3rd step of the Ezekoro Stream steps, from the entrance, has this Acronym “PEGGY” and “ASW or ASM” from front view:

“WSA or USA” from back view of the 5th step of the Ezekoro Stream steps. Written by those that constructed the steps in the 50s.

Untapped Resourceful Treasure

However, the natural international tourism potential offered by the Ezekoro Stream and forest are overwhelming.”

Emerging how resourceful the Ezekoro Stream and forest will be when harnessed.

It naturally offered potential for wildlife keeping, under professional guidance.

Valley, naturally existing within the Ezekoro forest is a gate-way for international super engineering structural constructions.

The water-ways is equally a Tea for Engineers to put up connecting bridges that will decorate the Ezekoro Stream and forest for tourism attractions.

Achina tourism site: Ezekoro Stream an Internal Revenue Center

When fully Engineered, the Ezekoro Stream and forest will be serving equally as a Movie site, Research ground, Relaxation and pleasure home, international and local conference resorts etc.

No doubt that the Ezekoro Stream and forest has the potential to be pumping revenue to the domesticating community (Achina), Ministry of tourism and the government.