4.2 Demographic Information and Indigenous Water Management Practices
4.2.2 Male Research Participants
Josiah is 60 years old and was born in Ile-Oluji. Early in his life, the villagers solely depended on the stream for water but, from about 30 years ago, they have used wells as their primary source of water. Some people here use alum and filters, but he uses the ‘just-fetch-and-use-it’ method fetching the water when it is needed and not storing it. The big problem here is that they do not have enough water, so people still go to the stream to add to water they get from the well.
Jacob
Jacob is 63 years old and has been in the village for over 30 years. He gets his water primarily from the well and the stream. He uses alum and filter before he drinks the water. He feels that
they have been forgotten by the government, so they have to survive by using all available methods.
Adekunle (Key Informant)
Adekunle is 49 years old. He was also born in Ile-Oluji as a farmer. He has inherited all the water management approaches used in this village. His own approach is to boil water from any of the sources and pour it into the fired clay pots. He believes that this approach can solve the water problem, especially as there do not appear to be any alternatives.
Taye (Key Informant)
Taye is 54 years old and he inherited water management approaches. His major source of water is the well, but those whose residences are closer to the stream still fetch from water from there.
When the water is fetched, it is poured inside a fired clay pot, alum is then added, and it is then filtered. Sometimes they use boiling instead of alum since they have wood readily available.
Dipo
Dipo is 35 years old and was born in Ifon. Their source of water here is the borehole, similar to a well but deeper. Most boreholes are around 400 feet deep, while the wells go about 40-70 feet down. They buy water there, and he thinks many buy water there because it is expensive to dig a borehole. He said that he prefers to boil water, but when this is not possible, he just drinks it. The major challenge is the availability of the water; it can be very difficult to find.
Bamidele (Key Informant)
Bamidele is 48 years old and was born in Ifon. He has been managing his water indigenously for over 30 years. He drank from the pipe-borne water before the dam was vandalised. Their major source of water is the borehole and rainwater. When there is no rain, they need to buy water from
vendors. Every 25 litres of water costs 200 naira, and in a day, you can use at least 100 litres of water.
Isaac
Isaac from Ifon is 57 years old and has been actively using the indigenous water management practice for over 35 years. His major source of water is buying from water vendors, and sometimes he goes to neighbours who have boreholes to fetch water too. He has been using alum and cloth filters, but recently had to stop because he perceived that the water was clean enough.
He for one is earnestly crying for government intervention because all the various approaches to IWM practices are not solving their problems.
Chief Alabeni (Key Informant)
Chief Alabeni is 62 years old from Ese-Odo. He inherited IWM practices from his father. Their sources of water are the stream and rainfall. According to him, so many materials can be used to take care of water; these include: kerosene; charcoal; special fired clay pot; fetching from the right source, etc.
Ajakaye
Ajakaye is 48 years old from Ese-Odo. He has used indigenous practices for a long time.
According to him, the stream is their major source of water. Kerosene and charcoal have been used round here to take care of water and it has been very effective. He thinks that, for as long as they are not dying of water diseases, it is solving their water problem, although not 100%.
Akinyemi (Key Informant)
Akinyemi is 56 years old. He has been using passed-on indigenous approach since he was small.
Since he was born in Ese-Odo, he is familiar with various approaches. The major source of water is the stream or the river. He uses charcoal and filter to manage the water that has been poured
into the clay pot overnight. This method is used across this entire village and it goes a long way solving the water problem.
David
David is 52 years old and has been living in Ese-Odo all his life. He said all the methods used here were handed over by their parents. Their major sources of water are the rain, streams and river. Among the indigenous knowledge used in managing their water, is charcoal – knowing where to fetch it, alum, filter cloth and clay pot. He believes these approaches can solve the water challenges they are facing.
Felix (Key Informant)
Felix is 63 years old and has been using indigenous practices all his life. His source of water is the stream and the river and he does not use anything in the management of his water. According to him, as long as you fetch from the right source (Yemoja spring), you can drink the water right away. He feels strongly that if everyone did this, the water challenges could be solved.