Unmasking the Silent Destruction: The Plunder and Pillage of Olulumo Effi Pristine Rainforest

“Unmasking the Silent Destruction: The Plunder and Pillage of Olulumo Effi Pristine Rainforest by Unidentified Chinese Nationals in Connivance with some Community Collaborators.”

By Missang Oyama

In the heart of our beloved community lies a treasure trove of biodiversity and natural beauty—the Effi Pristine Rainforest in Okuni Cross River State. For generations, it has stood as a concrete evidence of our shared heritage, a sanctuary for wildlife, means of livelihood, and a source of pride for our people. However, a dark cloud looms over this once-thriving ecosystem as unidentified individuals, primarily of Chinese origin, aided by local collaborators, embark on a mission of wanton destruction and unconscionable desecration.

At the center of this ecological crisis lies the Mike’s Wood Processing Company site, serving as the base of operations for this brazen assault on our common patrimony. The evidence is glaring: under aged trees felled and harvested indiscriminately, habitats razed to the ground, and the delicate balance of nature disrupted beyond repair. It is a scene of devastation that strikes at the very core of our identity as custodians of the land and heirs of an unequalled legacy bequeathed to us by our forebears.

What is perhaps most alarming is the deafening silence that shrouds this egregious act of environmental vandalism and mindless deforestation. Our community elites who signpost as the conscience of our people, entrusted with the task of safeguarding our heritage, have turned a blind eye to the plunder unfolding before our very eyes. Their complicity in this conspiracy of silence is nothing short of appalling, betraying a lack of regard for the future of our children and grandchildren.

Efforts to unearth the truth behind these nefarious activities have been met with stiff resistance and obfuscation at every turn. Those who reign as kings have subscribed to an agreement that is shrouded in absolute secrecy and kept tightly under wraps. The perpetrators of this heinous degradation of our ecosystem hide behind a veil of the anonymity of this agreement, shielded by a network of some community surrogates who profit from the exploitation of our natural resources. Their motives are quite clear, fundamentally to line their pockets, but the consequences of their actions are all too real to ignore—a landscape scarred by greed and indifference, and a community left to grapple with the irreversible loss of its ecological heritage and primary source of livelihood.

Make no mistake about this: the destruction of Olulumo Effi Pristine Rainforest is not just an environmental tragedy; it is an economic sabotage and a moral outrage that demands accountability and action. We cannot stand idly by as our common patrimony is plundered for profit, nor can we allow the perpetrators of this crime to escape without being brought to book and shamed. It is incumbent upon us, as stewards of the land, to speak out against this brazenness and to hold those responsible to account. The time to invoke the Freedom of Information Act to unmask the agreement on which these dastard operations are hinged is now.

But our fight does not end there. We must also work tirelessly to restore what has been lost, to reforest the barren landscapes left in the wake of this ecological catastrophe, and to rebuild the bonds of trust and solidarity within our community. Only through collective action and unwavering determination can we hope to reclaim the beauty and vitality of Effi Pristine Rainforest for generations to come.

In the face of the current adversity, let us not lose sight of the resilience and strength that define us as a people. Let us draw inspiration from the natural world and green vegetation that surround us, and let us stand united in our commitment to protect and preserve our common heritage for future generations. The fate of Olulumo Effi Pristine Rainforest hangs in the balance, but with courage and conviction, we can ensure that its legacy endures as a symbol of hope and renewal for all.

Missang Oyama is from Olulumo Effi Community. missangoyama@gmail.com.