Fear grips community as fallen tree stands, returns to original position

*Ogbodu-Orlu may lose prominent member, says resident

There is fear and trembling at Ogbodu-Orlu, Eha-Alumona, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State following a sudden rising of a tree stump which fell on its own about a year ago.

According to the community sources, two years ago, the tree called 'Orje' in the local dialect which was over 100-year-old dried up and the villagers started fetching firewood from it. November last year, they were considering felling the tree that once provided shelter at the village square, but after a windstorm, it fell on its own.

A member of the community, Emmanuel Ugwu, said that they invited a sawyer to cut the trunk and branches into pieces and were waiting for the instructions from the village head to share the remaining trunks to community members as firewood only for them to wake last Friday to find out that the stump had risen and stood erect once more.

Ugwu, further explained that the tree provided comfort for the aged as they always gathered under its umbrella at leisure times to crack jokes and discuss the affairs of the community before its leaves withered due to old age.

Another member of the community, Josephine Omeje, who stated that she witnessed the mysterious rising of the tree said: "It was raining that Friday evening and because our family house is facing the village square, I was able to witness what happened. I was scrambling to remove some of my property from the rain when my eyes caught an unusual movement of the tree stump. At first, I thought it was the rainwater which passes around the area that moved it around where it was lying prostrate on the floor for over a year now, however, after the rain, I was surprised to find the stump standing erect on its original position. This is a mystery, to say the least."

Another member of the community, Christian Ezeugwu said that when he heard the unusual story, he rushed to the scene to observe if people intentionally pulled the stump back to its original position but was surprised to find no footprints there, adding that the community had decided to go spiritual to unravel the mysterious circumstances leading to the development.

The traditional ruler of the community, HRH, Igwe Simon Ugwu, said the development has eluded his understanding, adding that he has not witnessed such occurrence since he was born.

Also, the spiritual head of the community Cyril Eze, while expressing shock, said: "We are surprised because of the observable rising of the stump. A member of the community observed as it moved and rose to its original position. I know that a fallen tree can rise but the processes are always gradual, unlike what we witnessed here. I think, there is more to this than meets the eyes. I am surprised because the tree was not used as a shrine when it was standing, so, no blood sacrifice was made there before".

Another member of the community, Ujunwa Ugwu, while expressing fear, said the development was ominous, adding that Ogbodu-Orlu may lose a prominent member of the community if urgent measures are not put in place to forestall it.

Culled from Vanguard