She Was Sinking… And Nobody Noticed — Ogbinbiri Day Special
She Was Sinking… And Nobody Noticed — Ogbinbiri Day Special
It was January 2022 — the famous Ogbinbiri Day Celebration was in full swing.
People from Polobubo, Ofunama, Ogbudugbudu, Ajakurama, even as far as Gbokoda, came in canoes and flying boats to celebrate the pride of Egbema. The riverside was booming — music, fried fish, tombo wine, and dance everywhere.
But the biggest highlight of the day was the Egbema Artistic Swimming Showcase — and the star performer?
None other than Perelade-Ere, the elegant “mermaid” from Ogbudugbudu, known across Egbema for swimming like a dolphin and dancing like her waist had no bones.
As the drums rolled and the announcer from Ogbinbiri shouted into the microphone, “Make una clear road for Ogbudugbudu finest!” the crowd erupted.
Perelade dove into the river — graceful, confident, like a daughter of Teme-Owei himself.
She spun. She flipped. She posed mid-water. Even the river spirits must have paused to watch.
But when her routine ended… she didn’t come up.
But she didn’t surface.
Unknown to the crowd, Perelade had blacked out underwater — her body slowly sinking beneath the same river that once carried her joy.
No one noticed.
Except one person.
Her best friend and coach, Ebimoboere, from Ogbinbiri — who had trained with her, laughed with her, and cried with her.
She turned to her cousin and said, “This is not part of her routine. Perelade no dey sink like that o…”
Without a second thought, wrapper and gele still on, Ebimoboere dived in — slippers in the air, bangles falling off. It wasn’t a performance. It was a rescue.
Straight into the muddy depths of the river, past floating bottles and catfish.
She reached Perelade, pulled her up by the waist like a strong Niger Delta sister, and surfaced.
They carried Perelade to the bank, gave her air, and fanned her with a soaked “Ogbinbiri Day 2022” program.
She coughed. She blinked. She came back.
She was alive.
And as the news spread like fire in dry season, the mood shifted.
From celebration to reflection.
Who in your life knows when you’re sinking — even when you’re smiling?
Who knows your pattern well enough to notice when something is off?
Who will jump into the river — wrapper, slippers, dignity and all — just to save you?
More importantly… can you be that person for someone else?
Sometimes people are drowning beside us, and we’re too busy clapping.
In this life, you don’t need more followers.
You need someone like Ebimoboere — a sister, a friend, a soul-watcher.
May Teme-owei bless you with people who will not just cheer when you shine, but jump when you sink.
And may you be brave enough to do the same for someone else.
Happy Ogbinbiri Day! May we not just celebrate life — but protect it.
Moral Lesson: Rescue First — Don’t Record Someone’s Last Breath
In an age where tragedy is often turned into content, the story of Perelade-Ere reminds us of a vital truth: human lives are not hashtags. She was sinking — not for drama, not for display — but because she needed help.
Yet, had Ebimoboere not acted swiftly, the crowd might have watched her drown — not out of wickedness, but out of distraction. Some may have even pulled out their phones… not to call for help, but to record “what happened.”
Let this story remind us:
📵 When a life is in danger, the right response is not “record,” it’s “rescue.”
💔 We cannot afford to be spectators while someone’s life is draining away.
❤️ Real heroes don’t trend — they act.
Ebimoboere didn’t wait. She didn’t care if her wrapper came off or if her gele got wet. She saw a life fading and dived in. That is the spirit the world needs: people who choose to save, not just document.
So next time you see an accident, a collapse, a struggle — ask yourself:
👉 Am I helping, or am I just filming someone’s pain?
Be like Ebimoboere. Drop the phone. Save a life.
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