RE: AGULERI CALLS ON UMUERI TO EMBRACE PEACE AND AVOID PROVOCATIONS
UMUERI CONCERNED
CITIZENS
|
RE: AGULERI CALLS ON UMUERI
TO EMBRACE PEACE AND AVOID PROVOCATIONS
The
above advertorial published on pages 8 and 9 of Daily Sun of January 16, 2019 is an
unnecessary distraction and a well-understood signal.
We
are surprised that Pastor Jossy Akwuobi, Ph D and Prof Mike Obiefune (Chairman,
Aguleri World Forum and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Aguleri World Forum ) respectively could sign such a
fabrication.
We
call that piece an unnecessary distraction because it has come at a time when
Nigerians are busy striving to conduct peaceful elections as from 16th
of this month. Thoughtful citizens are concerned about these elections. Pastors
like Jossy Akwuobi (Ph D) are praying
fervently that the polls will be
conducted in a credible, transparent and, most importantly, peaceful manner
devoid of violence and its attendant negative consequences.
The
respective interviews granted by Elder Mike Aniegboka and Chief Pius Okonkwo
were not disparaging to Aguleri in any form as was falsely claimed by Prof.
Mike Obiefune and Pastor Jossy Akwuobi. The two Umueri leaders merely spoke the
truth and did not add or remove anything from the sacred truth concerning the
state of affairs between Aguleri and Umueri.
Secondly,
contrary to the falsehood peddled by Obiefune and Akwuobi, there was no
Agreement signed by Aguleri and Umueri in 2006.
Frankly,
there was a joint peace committee made up of members from both communities. The
committee did not complete their assignment before the Umueri leader (in that
committee), Chief Victor Areh (God bless his soul) died. While Umueri people
were mourning him, Aguleri went ahead without serving Umueri notices of
meetings and forged what they now refer to as an Agreement. This is a hoax!
The
only peace accord genuinely signed by Umueri and Aguleri was that of 1999/2000
which was midwifed by the Prof Adive Udedibia-led committee and approved by the
then President Olusegun Obasanjo. Aguleri and Umueri Towns’ Unions were
adequately represented in that Accord. But the quarrelsome ones among them had
thrown away that Agreement the same way they blatantly stood against the
implementation of the White paper on Aguleri-Umueri crises which implementation
would have ushered in lasting peace to our area.
While
Umueri is peace-loving, Aguleri fights all her neighbours, a fact which was
clearly captured by the Justice Nweje Panel of 1996. Aguleri people have always
been the aggressors right from 1930. It is paramount that we remind you that
Aguleri is a belligerent community. They invaded Umueri in 1995 and have at one
time or another had crises with her neigbhuring communities of Mmiata Anam,
Nando, Umuoba Anam (both upland and riverine), Anaku around Ezu axis, Odeke,
Ihile and Echeno communities in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State
(please read the article entitled “Divided by blood oath published on page 24
of the Daily Sun Newspaper of January 16, 2019).
If
crises arise in Lagos and/or Abuja for instance, Aguleri and Umueri people
residing in those places would run home to their respective communities to take
refuge. This can only happen if these two communities which it pleased God to
create as next door neighbours, are at peace; otherwise they would have nowhere
to run to.
If
Umueri reacts in the same combative manner characteristic of Aguleri, wouldn’t war break out between her and Aguleri?
If war ensues between the two communities, couldn’t lives be lost? Wouldn’t buildings
be torched? Wouldn’t the people suffer ‘double jeopardy’ – the Nigerian predicament
as well as a local one from which they may not likely extricate themselves
given the proximity animating them? The questions can go on ad infinitum.
We
also call the publication in review a well-understood signal. It is a sign that
Aguleri wants to launch a war against Umueri. In the past, any time, Aguleri fired
this kind of salvo, they attacked Umueri subsequently.
It
happened in 1964. It was replicated in 1995 and that was the case in 1999. Once
they were through with the preparation for a shooting war against Umueri, the
people of Aguleri would first launch a media war, churning out incredible claims,
accusations, invectives and propaganda. Talk of giving a dog a bad name in
order to hang it!.
May
we therefore use this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government and the
Anambra State Government (incidentally under the watch of an Aguleri man, Chief
Dr. Willie Obiano)to urgently intervene, commence immediate investigation,
embark on serious search for arms and ammunitions within Aguleri with a view to
preventing the invasion of Umueri for the umpteenth time by Aguleri.
We
are cocksure that Elder Mike Aniegboka, Chief Pius Okonkwo and Igwe Benneth
Emeka are not the problem which Akwuobi and Obiefune are actually worried
about. Their concern is the expansionist move by their people at Igboezunu
village, Aguleri where they trespassed into Ugume Umueri, destroying houses,
attacking Umueri people and erecting illegal structures at midnight.
How
come it is Aguleri citizens who would be the ones to teach Umueri their history?
How did they come by the insulting narrative that it was an unmarried Umueri woman churned out by an
Aguleri man that founded Umueri? How did they come by the falsity that Umueri
was originally Umu-ulu Eri and later Umuleri and finally that Umueri is a false
creation of Umueri people?
In
traditional Igboland, did a woman inherit landed property? How did Umueri, who
according to Akwuobi and Obiefune, was a woman, come about owning massive
landed property in the Omabala area (which is actually the cause of jealousy)
from which they offered a king who married an Umueri woman enough land for him
to build his palace? Could a woman who the custom of the land forbade from
inheriting land have enough land for her community and some more which ‘she’
allowed a fleeing group from across Omabala River to settle in in1910?
How
did Amakom from Umueri own a large expanse of land near the palace of the Igwe
of Aguleri which premises Aguleri people have deliberately and completely
obliterated from the surface of the Earth while they cling to St Peter Anglican
Church, Aguleri? How did umueri, who allegedly was a woman come about to own where,
as we write, is now called Current Petrol Station, Day Maker Petrol Station and
adjoining parcels of land currently claimed and inhabited by Aguleri people
after ferociously fighting Umueri? The site which we just mentioned, was owned
by Umueri and pillars bearing “Girls High School, Umueri” were conspicuously
moulded there. Suddenly, Aguleri destroyed all those things in the dead of the
night and built up the area overnight.
Aguleri
and Umueri are surrounded by other communities. The people of these communities
know between Aguleri and Umueri the
community that fights everyone all the time. Nando, Umuoba Anam, Omor, to
mention just a few communities know the community which prides herself as “those
who forsook food in order to fight wars” (ndi
vulu ogu, ju nli). It is a question of pot calling kettle black. Facts are
sacred!
On
Igwe Umueri and his disposition, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Benneth Emeka, JP, is an easy-going, peace loving and ardent christian.
He talks peace, epitomizes peace and practicalizes peace. Unfortunately, people like Igwe Alex
Edozieuno and his cohorts from Aguleri are not happy that he (Oke Ebo II of
Umueri) relates very well with the Anambra State Governor who hails from
Aguleri. These evil-minded people from Aguleri fabricate unfounded stories in
order to soil the cordial relationship between His Royal Highness and His
Excellency.
On
January 29, 2019, they went a step further to add salt to injury, denying Oke-Ebo
II of Umueri, Igwe Sir Benneth Emeka, JP his right to break kola nut in
Otu-Ocha Stadium in the presence of Gov. Willie Obiano. As if that was not
enough, Igwe Edozieuno whose tiny domain is in Nmanyi (Aguleri Otu) had the audacity to sign a letter, saying
Oke-Ebo II Umueri had been suspended from the meetings of Anambra East
Traditional Rulers' Council, a body which is not known to any extant law at the
State or Federal level of Government.
News
filtered in that Igwe Umueri has been suspended by the Anambra State Governor
for fighting for his right to break kolanut on January 29, 2019. We do not want
to believe this story because the governor was right there when the grand
conspiracy played out. If anything, critical minds had wondered why His Excellency
did not order that the kolanut be given to Oke-Ebo II to do the needful, but
instead directed that no one should perform that important traditional duty.
If
Umueri were hostile to Aguleri, would she have massively voted for candidate
Chief Willie Obiano (as he then was) in 2013 and replicated same in 2017 to
actualize His Excellency’s re-election bid? Would her Igwe have conferred a
chieftaincy title of Ogbu-Na-Eche Ndo
Umueri on Governor Obiano on December 29, 2018 if Umueri were against Aguleri?
In
conclusion, Aguleri people are the ones provoking Umueri, insinuating war,
invoking and re-invoking war. They are the ones going on rampage, revitalizing
war, claiming ownership of every imaginable land, space and even air. Anyone in
doubt should ask Anam , Obele (in Kogi state), Omor, Nando, etc!.
This
is the truth of the matter. Aguleri people are notorious for burning churches,
schools, personal buildings, using dynamite and other lethal weapons. The few
peaceful ones among them admit this fact.
Chidebelu Tochukwu Henry
(Ivite Umueri)
Chief Onwesi Chira Dr.
Ekwego Nnamekwe
(Ikenga
Umueri) (Ezi Umueri)
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