As interest in documentary films continue to grow in Nigeria, the latest spark in this genre is coming from a veteran thespian and director, Rev. Bayo Awala, who is keen to highlight the sad development of sea incursion in Ilaje peninsula, in Ondo State.
Titled ‘Odigbose’, which translates as Goodbye or Farewell, the proposed documentary will beam searchlight on the entire Ilaje peninsula, lying at the coastal belt of Ondo State and measuring about 100 kilometers, which according to Awala, is arguably the longest coastline in Nigeria.
But the peninsula is under siege by the Atlantic Ocean with about two kilometers of the territory lost to the Sea already.
At a place called Awoye, the largest fishing port in Ilaje land, Awala tells TCN that the sea has broken through.
“Both the salt water of the Sea and the fresh water have ‘kissed’ and the breach is widening rapidly.” With concern, the respected veteran director says Ilaje has lost property, personal belongings and infrastructure.
“The persistent call of Ilaje communities for remediation, in over 30 years, have fallen on deaf ears. The Ilaje have taken matters into their own hands and have decided to appeal to the global community for help,” he says.
His proposed documentary film, he submits, has been carefully designed to serve as the tool for the global campaign.
“The documentary film will highlight the vulnerability of the Ilaje communities to the impact of rising sea levels, coastal flooding and ocean surge, measure their effect on the people, their occupation, culture and tradition, social life, highlight the extent of environmental degradation, devastation of Ilaje communities and the consequence of sea incursion on infrastructure – water, education, power, health and the thing Ilaje feared most, relocation.”
But sponsorship is a problem for this project. For more than a year or two, Awala, 82, has been marketing this brilliant project to numerous entities with little success.
He says he is now constrained to make an appeal to individuals who care about heritage preservation to come to his aid in making the project a reality.
He says it is a race against time and a personal appeal, adding that his appeal fir support is a “Macedonia call”.
“In the Bible, Apostle Paul wanted to go to Asia for ministry but when he slept, he dreamt and instead, saw a Macedonian man calling him to come over to Macedonia and help them.”
Awala says this is, therefore, an appeal to individuals to help llaje turn adversity into triumph “through throwing in your exalted position behind the documentary production.”
Every day that passes, he stresses, the llaje situation gets worse as a portion of the land is washed into the Atlantic Ocean.
“The implication of the surge is dire as it has boxed the people into tentative existence. The ravaging ocean waves that uproot everything in its path makes it impossible to build permanent structures, so infrastructure — electricity and potable water, are non-existent, and education and health facilities are tentative.”
According to him, llaje has a mono industry, fishing and a part of the industry, fishing in the riverine, has ceased to exist as the llaje Peninsula has been breached by the ocean, thereby polluting the fresh water.
“The major industry, fishing in the Atlantic ocean yields only occasional catch, a consequence of oil exploration and exploitation. This unfortunate situation has turned the rather sedative llaje fisherman into an itinerant.
“Our aim is to document these harrowing and damming challenges caused by climate change for a global audience, with a view to finding solution. For us, a documentary film presents a viable communication option that can vividly present the horrific and debilitating impact of climate change.
“I refused to be halted and remain undaunted in the face of foot-dragging by llaje and Ondo State authorities who openly embraced the idea but were pussyfooting being totally unaware that I have crowdfunding options.”
To donate, Awala urges individual or organisations to go to odigbose.co/documentary.
