Mmiri Nnachi again?

An adventure to find out the mystery surrounding the appearance and disappearance of the Mmili Nachi. The
journey to the site of the mystery water was a long one spanning about two and a half mile inside a lonely forest said to harbour antelopes, hares, snakes and boar. Indeed some foot prints of animals were found. Birds sang melodiously in the desolate forest. No one could believe that any human being could live in the lonely forest, but our team surprisingly stumbled onto a man who claimed to live in the area and that his forebearers own the site.  The team also spoke to other respondents who gave insight into the wonder water. Excerpt:
  LATE 2013 through early 2014, Nachi an agrarian community in Oji River Local Government Area of Eungu State was a ‘Mecca’ of sort to miracle seekers as thousands of  people across Nigeria thronged the area on daily basis to bath in a ‘wonder’ or mysterious water, nick named ‘Odo Mmili Bethsaida’.
  Nachi, before the discovery of the mystery water, was little known just for its agricultural produce and palm wine (Nnukwu Enu) among other rural attributes.
  Until the wonder water suddenly emerged to turn the quiet community into a beehive of activities and opportunists took advantage of the multitude of people who throngs the area daily to make brisk businesses, Nachi remained serene, remote and close to nature.
  Motorists from all parts of the states, cyclists (Okada Operators) and  petty traders made fortunes from visitors to the site as they plied their trades.
   For months the thither to placid, Nachi became the hub of activity and center of attraction to all manner of people including pastors and clergy and the sanity was rattled.
  Reports had it that many ill persons were instantly healed as they took their bathe in the water. These included the blind, cripple, and lame. While some deaths were allegedly recorded particularly of person who were reportedly not clean or those who had come with ulterior motives or as a result of evil deeds, there were cases of instant healing upon stepping into the water.
  People also fetched the water in jerry cans, collected sand from the mysterious ground as well as cut out barks of trees that surround the water and took home.  The item were also believed to have a healing potency. This belief informed massive visitation of the site.
  Surprisingly, a visit reveals that nothing remains on the portion of land where the mystery water once existed. Found was a dry land. Today, nothing is being talked about the mystery water as it is said to have disappeared. It only existed for two or three months after its appearance, and the once bobbling community has returned to its old self, a serene environment.
PLEASE what’s your name?
  My name is Enechikeluba Ignatus, Egbekuo Dike n'nkpa nke mbu n' umuaga. Here is Umuaga in Udi local government.
  What are you doing in this lonely and fearful forest?
  I live here with my family, I have 9 boys and the whole of this area is my land including the area you have the water, people call this place Nachi but actually it is Umuaga land and it belongs to my late father. Nachi  has boundary somewhere out there.
  What do you know about Mmili Nachi?
  The first time the water came out, Nachi people announced it and claimed they were in possession of the area, but it is not true, the land belongs to Umuaga. Umuaga is a town in Udi local government area of Enugu state. The water always comes out once in seven years. I was born in this forest and we are nine in number and we live here.
  Is there any ceremony before the water comes out?
  No ceremony, it comes and goes itself. The first man who saw the water in 1940s was from Umuaga and he called it Ani-ene which is the name of the first man who discovered the water. Later, Nachi people came and called it “Ogboogu.” The road divides Umuaga and Nachi.
  Is the water medicinal?
  Well, yes. Because we never knew that the water was medicinal until it came the last time. It was one cattle rearer who saw the water and drank it. The cows equally drank it and one of the sick cows recovered immediately. They took the water to Mecca and tested it. They found out the water was medicinal. Then the man came back from Mecca to my house. He visited me here and started telling me that the water is medicinal. I was surprised how Fulani man could tell me about water in my town. I went there with him. After that people started trooping. So I created roads for them to follow to the water. Indeed, the water healed some blind men and other sick people. If you go there you will see cruches everywhere. But the problem is that it doesn't stay long.
  How many months did it stay?
  It stayed about 2 or 3 months. And it doesn't allow rain to enter it. So it disappears before rainy season comes.
  What kind of animals do you have around here?
  We have big animals, but they don't harm. Like “Ene,” Mgbada” and we kill them. Even “Ezi Ofia” but you don't see it in day light time. It comes about 3am and goes to its cave before day light. I haven't seen lion here since I was born. The problem with Ezi ofia is that if you have it many at your home, you will be surprised if you give birth, you child will look like it.
  How have you been surviving in the forest?
  There is nothing we lack here. We have everything you need. Then when we don't have, we will go to wonderful market or Orie agu to buy them.
  Are your children living with you here?
  Yes, I have eight children and they are all here with me.
  Another respondent has this to say:
What is your name?
  My name is Timothy Ezeude n'ejiogu from Amake Nachi in Udi Local Government Area. I am a retired Chief Agric Officer. I worked partially with Federal and Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture. I am 70 plus now of age.
  We recall that 3 years back, millions of people were trooping here from different parts of the country for the miraculous water, what about the water?
  First of all before you know the stage of the water, you will know how it came about, how it functions and what is happening there.
  Bethsaida, though we called it Ogboogu. The water is in my plantation. This water is in Amake, the plantation has been in existence for more than 50 years now, alongside the Bethsaida. It is a miraculous water. It comes and goes. At times it takes 7 years before it comes back again or earlier before the time. This last time made us to know it's miraculous water, because it cured even lame people, blind people and many miracles. If you go there now you will see many cruches of those who were cured. The last time it came out was in 1996 and never came out again till last 2 years but that does not mean the water has gone, it is still there now, if you are righteous man and go there to ask for drinking water, if you dig a little, the water will come out for you to drink, but if you are not righteous, it will not come out. We expect it very soon to come again. Apart from that, the water does not come out in rainy season. It comes out during heavy harmattan, that is when the ground is very dry.
  People gave it the name Bethsaida, what is the original name?
  The original name is “Ogbogu.” The name existed since we were born. Hunters always go there to drink even in dry season. So when they dip, water will come out to quench their thirst. That is Ogbogu”. Also if you have illness and go there it will cure you.
  Is there any traditional rite to perform for it to come or go?
  Ogbugwu or Ogboogu or Bethsaida as called now is not a shrine, it is God's gift. There is no sacrifice offered to it for it to  come or go.
 What is this area called?
  The entire area is called Nachi
  Can you estimate the distance from the road to the water?
  From the water to the road is about two and half miles.
  When we were coming we noticed some footprint of big animals. What kind of animal do you have here?
  The footprints of the animals are dogs. That is hunters dogs. The kind of animals we have are Antelope, Zebra, Grass cutter (Nchi) and other smaller animals we don't have big harmful animals like Lion, but we have monkeys. We equally have Pythons and Cobra, because if you look down you will see some caves and water – a stream called Nzum. So at the corners we have stone caves.
What is your name?
  My name is Maureen.
  The truth is that I have lived in this community for seventeen years and I have never seen the water before except this last time it came out 2years ago. When it came out, the people were saying that Ogboogu has come out. So I was curious to know what is Ogboogu. According to them, they said in the olden days, if you are farming around the land of Ogboogu and digged to ask for water, the water will come out if you are righteous, but if you were not it won't come out. They said it cured as well. So I decided to go to see it. I saw some people it cured of their illnesses or ailment, some died in the water too. An elderly man and a young boy died in the water.
  Are you from this community?
  No, am from Nkanu
  When you bathe in the water did you notice any change in your body?
  Yes, before I bath, I was having menses period, that is my menses earlier stopped even when I am still 40. But after bathing with the water it started again.
  Do you think there is any traditional rite performed in the water?
  To the best of my knowledge, I have not seen any.
  Those who died, did you hear if they did anything wrong before entering the water?
  Well, some people said, the man started confessing when he entered the water. They said that he was doing something bad and was in doubt of the water, that is the best I know.

national light