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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
There had been festering crisis in some mineral-rich communities of Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. For instance, tension had pervaded the Ano community, made up of Amokwe, Ngwogwo and Okue, since July 20, 2020, when a bloody attack took place there, making residents to sleep with one eye open as they did not know when crisis could break out again.
At least 20 persons were allegedly inflicted with injuries in the fracas that erupted between supporters of the caretaker chairman of Ano community, Emmanuel Okoro Orji, and some members of Ishiagu Stone Dealers Association, led by Augustine Ekeh.
Daily Sun gathered that the leadership crisis in the area was usually linked to control and management of proceeds from the mineral deposits due to several quarry sites in the community.
The Ano incident reportedly started between the warring parties after Orji, who was selected as the community’s caretaker chairman by his people and inaugurated by the state government, was allegedly denied his mandate and access to a Chinese mining firm in the area by Ekeh and his loyalists.
However, the Ivo LGA authorities, working closely with the state government, had been on its toes to restore peace in the affected communities. In achieving this, the administration of the council, led by Onyebuchi Ogbadu, prioritised the security of life and property of Ivo people as well as improving their living standard.
Ogbadu, we gathered, has constantly kept in touch with stakeholders and people of the council area, while identifying and addressing security challenges in any of the areas.
The foregoing strategy has brought heartwarming results as the government had, in the last three weeks, supervised the successful election and inauguration of executive committees in some of the crisis-ridden communities.
The government’s team, led by the immediate past Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, now Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Samuel Okoronkwo, on July 17, conducted a free and fair election for the Amaokwe community, under the watch of the media and security agencies. Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ogbuefi Enekwachi Akpa, was part of the success story as he worked assiduously to engender peace in the area.
In the same token, the Ngwogwo community, on July 21, embraced peace with the successful election of its new leadership in a free, fair and peaceful process. The community was electrified with the emergence of Paul Igwe Ngara as its new chairman.
History was again made on July 23 as the Amata community also decided their new leadership in a rancour-free exercise. There was jubilation across the length and breadth of the community as top government representatives, including Okoronkwo, Akpa, Ogbadu, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps witnessed the process. Men of the Ebubeagu security outfit, the traditional ruler of Ishiagu, Eze Moses Ngele, Agu III of Ishiagu Kingdom, Comrade Chinedu Nkah, Hon. Eric Nwaja and Chidi Orji, among others, were also present.
The seven kindreds that make up Amata nominated 10 delegates each, bringing the number to 70 as agreed by the community.
So, in the elections conducted under the full view of the camera, the delegates queued behind candidates of their choice and, in the end, Uzoigwe Emmanuel was elected chairman, with 37 votes, while Chukwu Augustine emerged his vice, after scoring 46 votes.
Other elected executive members include Okochi John Ikechukwu (secretary), Okeke Benedict (assistant secretary), Chibuike Emma (treasurer), Uwaezuoke Chukwu (financial secretary), Chidiebere Okeke (public relations officer) and Ajah Uchechukwu Oti (provost).
In an acceptance speech on behalf of the elected executives for Amata community, the chairman, Uzoigwe Emmanuel, expressed their joy that peace had returned to the place through the election.
He applauded the Ivo council boss, Ogbadu, for his effort and pledged to run an all-inclusive administration, adding that the community would always support the policies and programmes of the Governor Dave Umahi-administration.
In his remarks at the various communities, Akpa urged them to embrace peace, noting that they could not achieve any meaningful progress in an atmosphere devoid of peace.
The elated council boss, Ogbadu, told our reporter that he heaved sigh of relief with the successful installation of new leaderships in the three communities.
“With what the governor had directed, which we carefully carried out, these successes would now make them live peacefully. I am overwhelmed with joy. These Ishiagu communities had been rancorous and warring, but all that is now over, as they have all pledged to maintain and sustain the peace.
“On the mining sites in those areas, the communities, through their new leadership, are to take charge of the tolls that come to them. So, we have succeeded in resolving the contentious issue of mining tolls in the areas,” Ogbadu said.
