Relative peace have returned to the erstwhile warring communities of Ndukwe in Amasiri, Afikpo North Local Government Area and Okporojo, Oso in Afikpo South Local Government Area both in Ebonyi following vigorous efforts of Governor Dave Umahi to that effect.
Addressing selected leaders of both local governments in Uburu, Saturday, the governor emphasized the pricelessness of peace above all other human pursuits.
"You have been living as brothers and enjoying the closeness of each other. Why would you allow land to be the source of this level of quarrel? Land is important, we know but a wealthy person can buy enough land to contain a community if the money is there, why make it an issue to the point of wasting human life and killing innocent people who might not even know why they were killed? These will certainly bring curses to both the land and the perpetrators."
Continuing, the governor noted that the mistake people make about war is thinking that it is local.
" You both have prominent sons and daughters living across the world. If war is encouraged, it could degenerate to individual and isolated killings of those your children who do not even know what you are fighting for."
Agreeing with the governor, Ezeogo Idam Bassey Onya, the Ubaghala III of Amasiri, on behalf of the Amasiri leaders stressed the fact that Amasiri lineages have relatives in Edda and vice versa meaning that the two sides are brothers and sisters.
" There is no family in Amasiri that does not have relatives in Edda showing that we are all interrelated. We have always lived in peace and will not allow anything to shake it"
Speaking for the Edda leaders, Dr. Mike Okoro (Vote for Jesus) noted that relationship between Amsiri and Edda predates creation and has always been brotherly.
" We can not allow anything to spoil it now. We have decided to keep living in peace and ensure that nothing shakes us" he noted.
In a bid to strengthen these resolves which arose from a meeting of the two sides without the governor, a twelve man committee was set up to go to the land in dispute, study the issues and advise the government on the way to everlasting peace in the area, has Ezeogo Idam Onya and Dr. Mike Okoro as co chairmen. Ten other members, five from both sides were nominated into the committee which the governor promised will get the blessing of the State Executive Council as a government committee. The committee has seven days to turn in its report. The ten members include Joseph Uche Akpu, Bishop Ken Oko Daniel, Uche Onyia, Omezue Oko Oyari, Ndukwe Obiahu (Amasiri), Hon Eze Ama Okoro, Gibson Nnachi Eche, Sunday Kalu, Dickson Udu and Patrick Anya (Oso).
The governor assured the committee of immediate and adequate funding but warned that on no account should any security agent be attacked or molested as theirs is a selfless service to ensure peace.
While commending the efforts of Chairmen of both local governments, the governor tasked them to immediately, within forty eight hours, convoke a peace-making ceremony to consolidate the peace accord so far reached.
Ten representatives from both Ndukwe and Oso later signed an undertaking of peaceful coexistence.
The meeting was
attended by State Director of SDof the Army Cantonment Commander, Deputy Commissioners of Police in charge of Operations and Administration and Commandant of the Army Female Corps.
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