For over twenty years, the good people of Olubo-Ojo, a Community in Ankpa LGA, Kogi State, lived in constant fear and scepticism; a situation brought about by the conspicuous presence of an age long gully erosion, measuring 6.13 km in length, 10 meters wide, and 9 meters deep. This menacing gully had hitherto destroyed farmlands, severed roads, and put over 150 houses, 4 schools, the Ankpa Waterworks, and Ankpa Market at risk. The devastating impact has claimed a life, displaced families, and forced the closure of two major hotels, causing losses worth millions of naira.
The Community was trapped in a cycle of fear and despair, with the erosion threatening to consume everything in its path. However, hope is already being restored through the intervention of the Government of Kogi State under the leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, through the Kogi ACReSAL Project, which launched a comprehensive erosion mitigation and control intervention, in the form of land reclamation, and drainage construction, with the aim of taming the hydra-headed gully menace, whilst bringing development and succor to the Community.
The results have been nothing short of miraculous – degraded lands have been reclaimed, with 76% of Civil Works completed, and 322 Project Affected Persons (PAPs) have been fully compensated by Kogi State Government, restoring fairness and community trust. The Project’s expected completion date is June 2026. Nevertheless, the impact is already being felt by members of the Community and surrounding areas, as 5,895.38 hectares of land have been restored, directly benefiting 160,624 people — 80,874 males and 79,750 females.
A hotel, once destroyed by erosion, has been transformed into the International Modern School called Wisdom Islamic School, turning a symbol of despair into one of learning and hope. The intervention has also revived property value in the area — homes once abandoned due to fear are now in high demand, and residents have returned with renewed confidence. Roads are now accessible, markets are booming with life, and the once-dreaded community is now a place of safety and growth.
Dr. B. Y. Dangana, the Community Head, recalls the dark days… “There was a time I could not reach my home because of the erosion. I lost my borehole worth over ₦500,000 and watched our Community crumble. Today, I can drive home safely again — and for the first time in many years, the fear of the rainy season is gone. We have hope again — real hope.”
Zainab Hamisu adds, “The new Wisdom Islamic School stands where an abandoned hotel once was. The Project didn’t just control erosion — it restored our Community and turned an eyesore into a center of learning and promise.”
Today, the Olubo-Ojo gully control project stands as a beacon of restoration, resilience, and renewed livelihood — transforming decades of fear and destruction into a lasting story of hope, safety, and sustainable development for the people of Ankpa.
All thanks to His Excellency, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for this partnership to take the loan facility to develop Kogi State! Indeed, beyond greening the Environment, we are equally saving Lives!!!
