For 15 years fishermen at the Abadaba Lake in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State toiled without enough catch to earn a living. There were no more fish in the large lake.
Consequently, the defeated fishermen sought many explanations to the disappearance of the fishes, which were hitherto their own share of the natural resources and the only means of livelihood of their forebears. Some blamed it on the provocation of the goddess of the lake by the indigenes who no longer observe her ordinances, while others blamed it on the increase in the number of fishermen on the lake.
Only fond memories were left of how the Abadaba Lake once flourished with varieties of fishes and other aquatic animals.
Stories were told of how big fishes often washed ashore and were picked up by lucky villagers who chanced upon them early in the morning. Those were days of bliss for fishermen. Then, the fish disappeared, and so did the fishermen as well as once thriving dealers as a result of depleting fortunes.
But at last there is light at the end of the tunnel. Fishes have returned to the famous Abadaba Lake and in a matter of four months it will return to its old state of plenty.
All thanks to the Federal Ministry of and Rural Development and the Senator representing Imo North Senatorial Zone, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu, who recently stocked the lake with 500,000 high breed African juvenile fishes.
The initiative threw the entire fishing community in the zone into frenzy. They can’t wait to throw their redundant nets on the lake and once again experience the thrill of the weight of a heavy catch.
At the flag-off ceremony which took place at the bank of the lake, the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, represented by Clement Iwunze, a senior Director in the Ministry, said that the project was part of the Federal Government’s initiative to use natural resources to improve the agricultural value chain, as well as provide food and employment opportunities for the teeming youths of the country.
He said, “The Federal government is encouraging farmers to farm in waters to upgrade the water bodies across the country. Fish farming is lucrative and can create employment and wealth for our teeming youths. So what we are doing today is to stock this Lake with high breed species of juvenile fish that will be mature in a couple of months”.
Ogbeh however warned that, “do not fish with small net sizes. There must be restrictions to enable the fishes grow. We want to upgrade the water contents so that there will be enough food for our people to eat “.
The Minister advocated for increased participation in agriculture to enable the nation cushion the negative effect of the dwindling oil sector, “the country should take the advantage of its population density to make exploits in the agricultural sector”.
Senator Uwajumogu, said that the program was part of his election promises to attract relevant government Ministries and Agencies to Okigwe zone.
Represented by his aide, Dr Uche Diala, Uwajumogu said that Lake Abadaba had the potential to provide food sufficiency for the people of the zone and that the fish stocking was one of the programs lined up towards achieving that feat.
While commending the Ministry of agriculture for coming up with laudable programs that are aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians, he posited that the zone would leverage on the Federal government program to organize an annual fishing festival to empower natives and as well, boost the tourism potentials of the zone.
Citing the breakthrough recorded at Jabi Lake Abuja many years ago, he assured that he is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and experts in fish production to ensure better yield for Abadaba lake.
He added that his vision to reposition the economy of the zone attracted the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to visit, inspect and test the lake which had been abandoned for over 15 years, noting that the lake remained the first water body in the southeast region of the country to benefit from the programme.
Uwajumogu explained further that the idea behind the project is to replenish the stock of fish in the lake with high breed fishes that would give a better yield in record time.
He expressed hope that the program would help to boost the economic power of the fishermen and other members of the immediate community through a bumper harvest, while also improving the nutritional needs of the members of the community and beyond.
The Senator who is a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, hinted that the lake which was stocked with a high breed Cat-fish variety would be closed from fishing for the next four months to enable the new breed of juvenile introduced to mature.
He further disclosed that at the end of the four month period, a date would be set aside within which other fishermen from across the senatorial zone would be invited to a carnival-like ceremony, with the highest catch getting N1 million prize.
Assuring on the survival of the fishes, the Senator explained that “Abadaba Lake as a natural habitat can sustain several aquatic lives, ranging from big to small,” adding that various sea creatures in the lake naturally dwell in the ecosystem.
He allayed fears that other sea creatures living in the lake would consume the fishes, arguing that while some of the fishes may be preyed upon, “hopes are high that the male and female fishes would reproduce greatly and subsequently populate the lake for years to come”.
Senator Uwajumogu, enumerated the significance of the program to include attraction of tourism potentials to the area as envisioned by Dee Sam Mbakwe, while calling on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to do more in establishing mini fish earth ponds and fish hatcheries around the lake to further drive agro revolution in the area.
The traditional ruler of Okwuohia community, Eze Chukwuemeka Uwajimogu, while commending the FG for the initiative, assured that the communities will work together to ensure the safety of the fishes.
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