The State Government has advised residents around Oke Agboona in Okemesi Ekiti to stay at least 300 meters away from the hill due to the likelihood of a re-occurrence of a natural disaster known as soil creep in the area.
This was made known by the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Professor Kolapo Olusola during the on-the-spot assessment of the havoc wrecked by the disaster.
Soil creep which involves the slow and downward progression of rock and soil destroyed properties worth millions of naira in Okemesi Ekiti, last week Thursday, after three days of heavy downpour.
Professor Kolapo Olusola, addressing the traditional ruler of Okemesi Ekiti, Oba Michael Gbadebo Adedeji and the people of Okemesi appreciated that no life was lost and promised that the government will hold a meeting with the traditional ruler and stakeholders on how to minimise the effect in future.
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“Governor Fayose sent us here to commiserate with residents whose properties were destroyed by this large magnitude soil creep, there will be a meeting with stakeholders on how to mitigate its effects if the natural phenomenon occurs again in the future.
“Experts have said there is the likelihood of a re-occurrence, though it’s painful that properties were lost and relocating is not expected to be easy, we need to adhere to their advice that we stay 300 meters away from the hill,” Olusola said.
Adedeji noted that the residents were already alluding the natural disaster to spiritual attack and called on the governor to help expand the base of the hill.
“What happened on Thursday once happened in 1973 but nothing was done by the government then, the creep also occurred in recent times but not of this magnitude, I plead with your excellency to help us expand the mountain base (Eleyinmi).
“If the base is expanded and a channel is created, a channel is there already but needed to be expanded, once it is expanded, whenever a creep occurs, the water and debris will have a place to move to. As it is now, God forbid, if it happens before the expansion, it is most likely to be disastrous.”
