It is one common
phenomenon to find makeshift buildings in different rural communities spread
across the world, especially those nomadic settlements built with mud or
blocks. However, what is not common is a community where the ‘super sacks’
houses are in vogue. In a rural Federal Capital Territory, FCT, a tribe lives
inside such sacks as homes. Chris Onokpegu writes.
Houses built with sack |
Joseph Okeh resides in Oshodi, a suburb of Lagos and while he
was watching a documentary on the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, he
fell in love with the serene lush environment and an array of adorable plants
littered with beautiful buildings scattered across the city.
Due to the rowdiness in Lagos couple with
the traffic jam usually experienced on daily basis, Okeh decided to relocate to
Abuja. However, little did he know that not every part of Abuja is beautiful.
There is always a Soweto sharing a common boundary with Johannesburg.
On arrival in Abuja, he was surprised by what he saw along
the Airport Road. A village built mainly with super sack. Okeh was surprised
and was forced to ask if he was really within the Abuja environment which
picture he used to watch on television.
Okeh is just one of those who are surprised to see a village
built with sacks. A tour across the FCT shows that the “sack village” is
becoming the new trend, especially among the downtrodden who cannot afford the
high rent in the territory.
During a visit, Hotline News discovered that the
sack houses are commonly seen along the Airport Road, especially among the
villages around the airport, Kugbo and along Nyanya-Keffi Road. Such homes are
also springing up at new districts like Guzape, the place meant for the high and
mighty in the society. As at the last count, the trend has spread across the
FCT, including Asokoro.
A shanty around Guzape |
One of the residents of the “sack village” in Kugbo, Mohammed
Bello said it is not their intention to stay in such places. He narrated how
his house was demolished by the Mallam Nasir el-Rufai administration in Pykassa
in 2006.
He said after the demolition exercise, he relocated to Bassa
village and built another house, but the Department of Development Control of
the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, rendered him homeless once
again by turning his house to ruins. Bello said that frustration had prompted
him to stay inside the makeshift house popularly called ‘sack house’ because it
is mobile and anti demolition.
Bello said he cannot afford to spend his hard-earned money on
the construction of another house when he is not sure whether it would be
spared or not. He claimed that if what he had put up is destroyed, he would not
lose or have any cause to regret. He however revealed that though his family
members are exposed to mosquitoes and reptiles, but he has no choice than to
continue staying there to shield them from the naked world.
As for Joseph Okonkwo, a bus conductor who lives in one of
the makeshift sack homes in Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja, he explained that he
stays in such an environment because he cannot afford the high rent in the
city.
Demolished shanties |
He claimed that the little money he earns from his job is not
enough to take care of his family, let alone rent an accommodation, hence he
decided to join a friend to stay in such an environment.
Okonkwo said he would rather get a parcel of land and start
building something in his village, rather than waste so much money on paying
for a rented accommodation in Abuja.
In the case of Bamidele Oguntade, whose house was also
demolished alongside others in Bassa-Jiwa, near the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport
Road, Abuja, life has never remained the same with him.
Bamidele, who came to Abuja from Lagos on transfer, said he
had spent all his savings to acquire a land in Bassa-Jiwa, because of the high
cost of rent in the territory. He got a land from one of the chiefs in
Bassa-Jiwa who in turn gave him some “documents” of the land. However, little
did they know that the Gbagyis, as indigenes of Abuja, do not have any right to
sell land to anybody as land belongs to the federal government.
Unfortunately, for him and others, their houses were
demolished by the Department of Development Control, Abuja Metropolitan
Management Council, AMMC. Bamidele said he had no choice than to relocate to
the ‘sack village’ while his family relocated to Lagos. He has learnt to adjust
to village life. According to him, he wakes up early morning to take his bath
and go into the bush to ease himself. He said he is just staying there for the
main time to enable him gather things before looking for a decent
accommodation.
A typical building in Abuja occupy by the rich |
He disclosed that he had to bear some of the illicit
activities in the area, saying that it is one of the reasons he is making moves
to move out of the area to avoid being raided by the police.
Our findings show that people who stay in the sack house in
Kugbo are mainly the cattle rearers, mechanics, vulcanisers, and others who
sell motor spare parts at the Kugbo mechanic village.
Sack villages are not peculiar to Abuja. Recently at Old
Karu, Nasarawa State, some commercial sex workers made their chalets mainly of
super sack. The sacks were destroyed by the Nassarawa Urban Development Board,
NUDB, during a demolition exercise in the area. Sack villages are also seen at
the boundary between Abuja and Nassarawa State mainly used by women of easy
virtues.
In many quarters, the use of sack homes is being discouraged
and suggestion is being made for the provision of houses or involvement of
private sector in the provision of affordable houses to discourage people from
staying in indecent houses, or staying in sack house and avoid endangering
their lives to reptiles and other dangerous animals.
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