Boondoggle in the bush

In a quiet village of Umuoha, there lived a man named Obiora who had always boasted of his intelligence and connections because he had once worked with the white men in the city. One of the challenges faced in Umuoha is a lack of good and clean water. The villagers fetch water from a muddy stream, which dried up during the dry season. They go through a local purifying process to make the water safe.

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"I will be your saviour in Umuoha", Obiora said one day while passing through the stream and saw people fetching water from the stream.

Those who heard him hissed because he had been saying that for years with no change.

"Save us first before becoming so boastful", one woman replied to him.

"Oh, ye of little faith, just watch as I will perform wonders soon. You will soon have running water in your various houses" he confidently replied with a broad smile and walked away.

After six months, government agents arrived in tinted jeeps with flashing lights, and immediately a meeting was called with the village heads. A meeting was held under the mango tree in the high chief's house. After pleasantries, Obiora stood up dressed in a black suit.

"Good afternoon, my chief and elders, my name is Obiora, as most of you already know. We're bringing development to your doorstep. Your long-awaited wish will soon be granted. A multi-million naira project is about to be launched, and that is a water purification plant that will change the story of Umuoha", he confidently said, adjusting his suit.

The villagers present who came to see what the big jeeps are all about cheered loudly. This was their long-awaited wish, and it's about to be a reality. The high chief, who had been silent since, nodded silently and said, "We welcome progress, but let it be real".

They concluded the meeting on a good note and within days, machines roared through the bush. Cement blocks stacked high, pipes delivered by trucks, and workers buzzing like bees. The villagers would gather to watch. A big billboard was made at the entrance of the village with writing, "Federal project: clean water for Umuoha- powered by innovation.

Six months passed, then a year, and the water plant was half built. All the machines were gone, and the workers vanished. The signboard was left there fading away. All left were rusted tanks, a pipe that led to nowhere, and a cement slab. The villagers and elders were wondering what had happened. Obiora was nowhere to be found. It was a grand project in name only. Gradually the villagers forgot about the project and moved on with their lives since their hopes were dashed.

The chief decided to hold a meeting to encourage the villagers and hoped for the best in the future. The meeting was held under the mango tree where the first one was held with Obiora and the government officials.

A young woman named Nneka, who had returned from the University of Enugu, stood up during the meeting.

"Do we need outsiders to save us? No, my elders. Give me your trust and I will give you clean water", Nneka said.

The villagers murmured, but in the end, they all agreed. Nneka partnered with a local NGO. They dug boreholes with simple machines, trained the youths to maintain them, and built a solar panel filtration system. Within three months, every compound has clean and running water.

The reporters from the city heard the news and came to see. They all thought it was the federal project until they came and saw the ruin but yet saw water flowing. They were told the active impact Nneka took, which led them to interview her.

"How did you do this?", a journalist asked.

Nneka smiled and said, "We stopped chasing boondoggles and started building what actually works".

The people of Umuoha were happy and forever grateful to Nneka.

Thanks for your time and your comments will be appreciated.

Posted Using INLEO