Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
It was a cool evening and the children in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Uhogua, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, had to troop out en masse to the open space in the camp, to play games of their choice.
The boys got busy playing football on one side, while the girls played handball, basketball, even playing the game that was once exclusively reserved for the males, football.
While running around and playing the games with zest, enthusiasm and joy in their hearts, forgetting their pains, agonies and sorrows, deep down in their hearts was the question of what they would eat when the games were over.
Actually, it is a question of suffering and smiling in the camp as their various storehouses are completely empty of food items and medication.
Depicting this scenario, the fire spots that usually housed seven big pots of the meal called tuwon shinkafa were reduced to three at the time Daily Sun visited the camp and not because they wanted to reduce the rations but because there was a serious dearth of foodstuff.
It was a place where even the bravest would shed hot tears because hunger and starvation loom large in the camp.
Speaking with Daily Sun, Barika Promise Joshua, one of the IDPs from Gworza LGA of Borno State, said they were hit with scarcity of food and they needed help.
“I want the government and every kind-spirited individual to come and help us. If you go to our warehouse, it is very empty. Children are suffering and we really need help. Even the aspect of health, go to our health centre, drugs are very scanty and we need their help really,” he said.
Promise who arrived the camp in 2014 while in JSS 2 but is now a student of the University of Benin studying Zoology, narrated how he found himself at the Uhogua IDP camp.
“I came here in 2014 and when I came here, I was in JSS 2. I came here because of the insurgency in Borno. It was so intense that I had to run for my dear life. I was out of school.
“When the insurgency drove me away from my state, I went to Adamawa State, the local government called Madagali, but I did not stay long before the Boko Haram came to displace us and I went to other IDP camp and right there, I was also faced with other hardship. There was no food, blankets or other valuable things. I finally landed at the Uhogua camp.
“By the grace of God, a pastor helped us and when I got here, I continued with my studies. The pastor helped us, encouraged us. He made us to know that we do not have to be discouraged and, by the grace of God, I took the courage, started school, studied hard and, fortunately at the end of my SS3, I was able to make my result in one sitting both WAEC and NECO and I wrote JAMB last year and God has helped me and I made it and I am in the University of Benin now studying Animal Biology and Environment Zoology,” he said.
He advised other children in various camps across the country never to give up their dreams, noting that when there is a will, there will always be a way. .
“My advise to my friends in the various IDP camps is that they should never lose hope because, when there is a will, there will always be a way, and that has always kept me going. They should always have the courage to create a way and never to give room to failure.
“When I am out of here, I am already sure that I am heading towards a brighter future and when I get there, I will come back to help them,” he promised.
For David Joseph, the insurgency in the North-East has affected him badly. He disclosed that his parents were killed by Boko Haram insurgents.
“I am from Gworza, Borno State. This Boko Haram insurgency has affected me so much to the extent that I cannot explain everything.
“First of all, when they attacked our village, we were forced to scatter everywhere, children living in the bush. In 2013, they attacked our village and killed my parents and my uncles. We are just few that survived it and we have scattered all over the place.
“I trekked for three days from Gworza mountain and without food. I got injured when I was running on the mountain for my dear life. We have scattered all over the place. I did not find my brothers and sisters for about a year and when I eventually met with one of my siblings, he told me that the Boko Haram poisoned my mother and she died, while they shot and killed my father on the mountain.
“So, I trekked from where I was staying to Adamawa State for three days and when I got there, I was staying with people I did not know.
“In 2015, there was one of my uncles that was staying in Kano, so I went to him and it was there I heard about this Uhogua IDP camp.
“My junior brother who is eight years now, I last saw him when he was two and he saw me, he did not recognize me again because we have been separated from each other for a very long time and I thank God that he is here with me.
“I appreciate God that when I came here, they accepted me and took care of me”, he said.