Umahi Brokers Peace Between Ebonyi Feud Communities

FROM OUR NEWS DESK (ABAKALIKI)

Following the quick intervention of His Excellency, Engr Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State in a brewing land dispute between the people of Oso Ndiobasi Edda, Afikpo South, and the people of Ihie Opi Autonomous Community in Afikpo South Council Areas of Ebonyi State averted what could have thrown the Council Areas in a serious feud.

Recall that the people of Oso Ndiobasi Edda had written a petition to the governor of the state, urging him to intervene in the alleged encroachment on their land by the Ihie, Opi autonomous community, which prompted the Governor to direct his Special Assistant on Land and Survey, Chief Emmanuel Igwe to wade into the matter for possible nipping the impending communal crisis on the bud.

Proffering a solution to the impending crisis, the SA through a public announcement he made, stated that the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr David  Nweze Umahi, having studied the petition, took all necessary steps that will lead to a permanent peace between the two sister communities and thereby directed that all construction jobs within the disputed land be banned and all farming activities within the disputed land including harvesting of crops suspended by the state government till further notice. 

In making sure he carried the directives of the State’s first-class citizens to the latter, the Special Assistant invited Council Chairmen of Afikpo South and North Local Government Areas, Coordinators of Development Centers in the two Council Areas, Traditional rulers and village heads from both communities, Councilors representing both communities at the two Local government areas as well as the Youth leaders, community leaders, and religious leaders living within the two sister communities. Hon. Emmanuel Igwe thereafter warned of the consequences of disobeying the directives of his principal.

It was gathered authoritatively that the two parties yesterday (15/12/2022) assembled at the Ministry of Land and Survey’s Multipurpose Hall, Centenary City, Abakaliki, where the SA, Chief Emmanuel Igwe held a closed-door meeting with them, aimed at ascertaining the cross of the matter.

Our correspondent who monitored the meeting reports that a total of twenty-five elderly men from both communities attended the peace accord meeting with a traditional ruler of each community having led his subjects’ representatives.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, the traditional ruler of Ihre Opi Autonomous Community, His Royal Highness, Ezeogo Paul Uchendu Ndukwe (Opi 11 of Opi Autonomous Community alongside his Oso Ndiobasi Edda counterpart, His Royal Highness, Ezeogo Aja Ugbor Okoro, lauded the quick intervention of the state government, assuring that they are going to honor the outcome of the meeting with a call for an immediate visit to the disputed land by the government officials.

“We want to assure His Excellency, our amiable Governor that we are going to inform our respective subjects of the outcome of our meeting with the representative of the Governor and we want to use this medium to appeal to our people to stay away from the disputed land and tow the part of peace, pending the next directives from our peace-loving Governor”. The two traditional rulers jointly stated.

Addressing newsmen after the closed-door meeting, Chief Emmanuel Igwe, said the government of Ebonyi State was happy with the disposition of the two communities, particularly with the two traditional rulers but maintained that His Excellency, Engr Dave Umahi will not tolerate any breach of peace in the areas, especially now that the government has taken a stand to restore peace and order in the two communities, having reminded them of the consequences of anything short from the undertaken both communities signed after their meeting.