Joy Oluchi : The World Through My Eyes

Chapter Two: The Naming

The discovery of the calm, wide creek brought great excitement to the fishermen. After exploring the place and feeling how steady and settled the ground was, they fished for many hours. That day, their canoe carried more fish than they had seen in a long time. The water gave freely. The land felt peaceful. The wind felt gentle. It was as if the place itself was inviting them to stay.

When they returned to their families, their voices were full of wonder. They spoke of a place where the fish were many. They spoke of a place where the soil felt firm. They spoke of a place where the earth did not shake under their feet. The people listened closely. They understood that the men had found something rare and precious.

Without wasting time, they gathered their belongings. They carried baskets, mats, cooking pots, and the few treasures each family owned. They paddled through the creek, following the men to the place that had captured their hearts.

When they arrived, the children were the first to shout with joy. They jumped around the sandy edges of the creek and pointed at the fish moving in the water. The women smiled as they touched the soil and felt how rich it was. The men nodded quietly, knowing they had chosen well.

It was on that day, while looking at the calm creek and the steady land, that one of the founders spoke words that would shape history. In their early Ijaw dialect, he looked around and said: Odi modii.

It meant,

Pond of Fishes. This place stands firm, and the ground is settled and ready.

The words touched everyone who heard them. They felt true. They felt right. They carried the spirit of the place. The people began to repeat the phrase as they worked. They said it as they built the first small huts from palm fronds. They said it as they dried their nets under the warm sun. They said it as they called out to one another across the water.

Slowly, the phrase blended and became one.

It became the name we know today.

Odimodi.

More families arrived in the following days. Some came because they heard of the abundant fish. Some came because they were searching for safety. Others came because they believed the land was blessed. The small cluster of huts grew into a little settlement.

Smoke rose gently from early morning fires. Children laughed as they chased one another near the creek. Women washed their pots and prepared meals. Men repaired their canoes and set out to fish. Life was beginning to take shape. Hope was beginning to grow.

The name Odimodi carried a deep and steady sound. It rolled like soft thunder far away in the sky. It settled into the heart like a secret blessing. It felt strong. It felt ancient. It felt like it belonged to the land and the people who lived upon it.

The settlement was no longer just a place.

It had become a home with a name.

A home that would grow.

A home that would stand.

This was the birth of Odimodi.

A village that rose from hope.

A village built by courage.

A village that would one day become known far beyond the creeks that first welcomed its people.

To be continued…

Written by Joy Oluchi