“Because I have no alternative home to go to; I am battling with flood to give my children shelter.”
A single mother of five children, identifying herself as, Madam Akon Elijah Akpan, has said that she had been battling with flooding, inside of her house for the past 20 years. Yet, there is no hope in sight.
Madam Akpan, on Friday following the heavy downpour of Tuesday, November 8, 2022,’s night in Calabar, told the Truth Live News that because she has no alternative home, she has been forced to battle with flood just to give her children a home to live.
Akon who is a native of Ekparakwa village in Akwa Ibom State is a subsistent farmer who lives in Calabar, Cross River State Nigeria.
According to her, the challenge of managing themselves in the flood for the past 20 years has caused the death of her mother and a newborn grandchild, as they struggled to survive the severe cold arising from the flood.
“Because I didn’t have money and I wanted to save the life of my mother, who was always attacked by unknown hoodlums whenever she returned from outdoor activities. And so for me, getting the land and building on it to move my mother in, was the only option.”
“Although, she later died of Cold as the result of the stagnant flood in the room where she was always staying.” She said.
She explained, that When it rains, the whole 3 rooms would be flooded, their clothes would be submerged in the water, sometimes, they would miss Church service on Sunday, their kitchen utensils would be washed away and even the entrance road to the house would become impassible.
Meanwhile, her daughter, Charity Okokon Inam, whose newborn baby died a week after delivery said, medical findings show that her baby died of a severe Cold.
“We do not always have a place to sleep whenever it rains. We would be standing on our feet until it is over,. Our shoes, books, certificates, clothes, and foodstuffs have been destroyed by flood.” She told Truth Live News in an interview.
The flood in Nyahasang community of Calabar Municipality LGA. Cross River State, the community of more than 30,000 where Madam Akon Elijah Akpan lives with her children has been worse this year.
She is appealing for help from philanthropists and good-spirited and well-meaning individuals to come to their aid as the situation could be worse than this, next year.