Something so magical happened this morning! I awoke to the most beautiful singing. At first I thought it was music from someone’s radio, but after listening for a while I realized it was children singing just outside my tent. I got up and looked, and saw such an unusual sight! One group of little boys was singing into the end of one drill pipe which was lying on the ground, and another group of little boys was answering through the other end of the pipe. They were doing a call and response melody, just beautiful. Sweet, tender voices, singing to each other through the pipes! I’ll try and get it on video, so you can appreciate the beauty.
Together with several Fulani elders, I met with the Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture this morning, gave him a copy of the water survey report, explained all we were doing, reported the theft of the two pumps and showed him the location of the new pumps. I read him the paragraphs in the report which refer to the nearly total encroachment of the reserve by farmers. The Commissioner was very upset about the stolen pumps, and has already made phone calls to deal with it. He has promised a visit to the reserve this coming week, and promised quick action regarding the encroachment. He said what Nigeria needs is for people to follow the rule of law! I commended him on this and agreed that this was the only way this country would progress. He said he was fully behind the grazing project and would do anything needed to help. I thanked him and suggested we work together to make Bobi Grazing Reserve a model reserve in the nation.
When we got back to the reserve after the visit with the Commissioner, Halliru showed Aliyu the two broken pumps we’ve promised to repair, did the estimates and called the technician in Kontagora who will do the work. Tomorrow morning we’ll buy the parts and see this part of the Bobi work completed.
This afternoon Aliyu reported that we should have the new part for the drill rig by tomorrow morning! We sat all afternoon under the mango tree, talking, telling stories, listening to the children singing through the pipes then, when the sun went down, took a walk through the forest to the small, nearby dam.
In the night, the driver came with the replacement part. First thing in the morning, we completed the drill, but found no water.
We’re looking for a new site and will begin again.
Phyllis