PICTORIAL TOUR IN OBOTME COMMUNITY

Obotme Drinking Water Source

Good evening Steemians. I am @freshgrace here to share my Tour in Obotme community in pictures. But then let consider a brief overview of this community before the photo speaks.

Obotme is my community in the Ini Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. The name "Obotme" is a combination of two words: "Obot", meaning hill, and "Mme", which refers to the first dwellers of the hilltop land. The people of Obotme comfortably traced their origin from Old Calabar, although they are in Akwa Ibom State but have a slight tongue of Ibibio mixed with Efik tribes. Obotme is situated in the northern part of Akwa Ibom State, sharing boundaries with several communities in the Arochukwu local government area in Abia State.

The land is agriculturally blessed with tall woody plants, palm trees, and rich in mineral resources such as limestone, coal, an abundance of crude oil, and others.

Obotme people are predominantly farmers, even on a large scale or commercial basis and subsistence. This community has prominent people in the state in political corridors of Ini Local Government Area and in the state.

These people are rich in culture. During ceremonies and new yam festivals their cultural display reveals the African spirit in them. They have Ekpe society, Obon, Ekpo (masquerade), Akata, Ekang, Ikekpe, Anang and so on.

They live a communal life, sharing among themselves the little they have. It is common to go to your neighbourhood and take certain things you have needs for even in the absence of the owner and later inform the owner in his/her absence you took whatever.

They are notoriously religious people practising African Traditional Religion, and greater numbers too are Christians since the advent of Christianity in 1905 (The Church of Scotland Mission). Now the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria has come, and many people have embraced Christianity while others have retained their traditional beliefs, even with the many churches spread across the village.

The missionaries came with education to the land of Obotme, where the church was also the primary school, but before then, just like in other parts of Africa, the people learnt the informal things and were able to communicate and note their days of the week and use signs and symbols.Today we have several graduates, professors and people in different fields of education.

The community in recent times has attracted the government's interest with road and solar light installations and has a market that is sold twice a week, a relief for them from taking their farm produce to distant markets for sale. Apart from the primary school the missionary established, there are other private schools and a secondary.

^{One of their source of streams - Day 1 Tour}

The pictures above is the stream called "Idim Obot Ukpa" with their hilly nature, this one of those streams that is motorable. Very cool, i went with my friend to fetch water with motorcycle and also bath. It was fun all together. I began my tour here from the first day.

	I plug limes without buying in someone's compound

While inwas returning from the stream, i saw this citrus (lime) i plugged it without any fear. This is who these people are. But we do not abuse the sense of communalism at all.

Village Council Meeting

The village council meeting is an open court, it was a privilege to visit the Obong Obio of Obotme in his palace and paid homage to the elders. I was welcomed as the son of the soil.

I was very intentional visiting places on the second day of my tour so that i will give the Steemit community the pictures and the how Obotme village could be imagined.

^{Dry Fish for food}

Because their main occupation is farming, expect to see different agricultural products as walk on the streets. Some for sale and some just back from harvesting them. From the pictures above you will see a basin of cassava, plantain and palm fruits.

^{Processing Cassava for Garri}

The above photos show how i related with the children. They are very strong because they are exposed to taking up responsibilities at a very early stage of their lives. You can see their related age but involving in domestic chores as their parents had gone to farm from 5am or 6am, they do not play with farming. The pictures show those seeving cassava already grinded to be fried to become garri or flakes while another child is washing plates.

The next set of pictures is what i saw as taking advantage of technology. Before now the cassava grinder used to be stationed in owner's location and the whole community will crowded there to grind their cassava ans sometimes they will go home 1am depending the day and looking for market day very closer, everyone will struggle. But with now they are going from houses when called to come and offer their service. This is part of development.

What drew my attention is that the same person pushing the grinder is also a barber, offering diverse services and earning his daily income.

Several cash crops are there ranging from palm trees, rubber plantation, cocoa, cola, bush mango and more.

For you to get the community source of drinking water, you pass through bush. You can see the children i saw returning from the stream. The water is in the valley of the community, the next photos will explain more.

This is the best and the main source of drinking water in the community. The water gushes out of the rock, igneous if i do not forget my geography classes. The water is clean and cold from it source. The community had to lay pipes to direct the pressure of the water, and also dividing the mouth into two for two persons to fetch at the same time.

There are times the stream used to be very busy, especially early morning that students will fetch to rush to school or others going so before sunset.

Football is a game that goes to every corner of tje world. Therefore people come out to play after coming back from their daily activities. This is community secondary school fied.