By Levinus Nwabughiogu
It is novel, bold and unprecedented. Perhaps, it has never been imagined or contemplated in the post-civil war era of Nigeria or since the amalgamation of the southern and the northern protectorates in 1914 that leaders and stellar personalities from different regions of the country would gather in one place to declare peace in Igboland. Yes, it happened in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.
Echo it loud. Shout it from the mountaintops. Nigeria was in Bende for the unveiling of the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P) on December 29, 2023. And indeed peace has come to the South East.
The import of this hilarity may be lost on those with no appreciable understanding of the goings-on in the South East, hitherto. But for the people in the know, those who have also been following the trend of events, especially in the past three years, there is now a shout of joy.
Take a mental safari into the region. Envisage a situation where fear treads the streets. Imagine a situation where violence unfathomably and spasmodically erupts, causing fatalities. Just think of a situation where the streets and markets are deserted. This is the scenario in the South East.
Every Monday, the markets and the shops are locked up. Schools, the same, and human and vehiclar movement literally suspended. And people sit at home, languishing, economically. In fact, the situation was not just scary but also pathetic.
While this may be a way of protesting the continued incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), it’s also one sure move that has cost the zone billions of naira.
For losing one of the five working days on a weekly basis, the summary of the impact and the concomitant effects is no doubt a bleeding economy.
Of course, next to the issue of dislocated economy is the militarization of the the zone even when it is not in any known conventional war.
From Enugu to Anambra, Ebonyi, Abia, and Imo states, the highways are dotted with soldiers and the members of other security agencies. On the streets of some major cities and in the hinterland, military presence is heavy. This is the present state of the South East geopolitical zone.
Innocuciouly, this has fuelled anger in the land. Violence and strife have become ubiquitous, virulently and ferociously threatening the tranquility and identity of a once boisterous region. The people running amok in endless fear and despair. But you don’t blame the security agencies. They are doing their job of fighting crime and criminality and discharging the task of keeping the country together.
But here is the birth of PISE-P. The birth of peace. The brain child of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who is passionate about the peace and development of his geopolitical zone.
For purposes of recapitulation, PISE-P is a well articulated five-year peace deal that canvasses a non-kinetic means to build bridges and achieve its noble objectives. It’s an idea with the vision and mission of fostering lasting peace, stability and sustainable development in southeast Nigeria.
It is designed to address the complex socio-economic challenges and security issues facing the South East region. Developed in response to the growing impact of agitations, economic decline and security threats, PISE-P seeks to restore peace and stimulate development through a multi-stakeholder approach.
PISE-P thrives on eight pillars of Education; Agriculture; Commerce/Industry; Infrastructural Development; Culture and Tourism; Sports/Entertainment; Governance/Leadership; and Reconciliation/Rehabilitation/Reintegration.
Of course, the launch was a huge success. The attendance was massive, apolitical, cross-cultural and holistic.
For sure, the protocol list is long: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima. The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, also represented by his deputy, Senator Jubrin Barau. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajideen Abbas, Ph.D, attended in person. Governors of the five eastern states, including the chairman of Governors’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, were not missing. The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, who represented the traditional rulers from the South; the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero, who represented Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III; and the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, were all in Bende.
Over 60 lawmakers from the National Assembly across the political parties attended.
In the business class, the bourgeoisie businessmen and philantropists, including Sir Emeka Offor, Chief Arthur Eze, Chief Allen Onyema, Chief Tony Chukwu, Chief Chika Okafor, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, and Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma, among many other worthy sons and daughters of Ndi Igbo, identified with the project beyond their physical presence at the occasion.
How can anyone also forget that all the traders’ unions in Lagos, under Igbo-Amaka, with over 58 unions, attended the programme and accepted to partner with PISE P for peace?
From the President to the Senate President, down to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, then the governors, the messages of hope and peace resonated. They echoed through the towns and villages of the southeastern states, of the length and breadth of Nigeria, calling for unity and love.
While taking turns to eulogize the deputy speaker, Kalu, for the initiative, the speakers at the event also gave assurances of their partnership to ensure the South East achieves peace through the non-kinetic means.
Though Vice President Shettima, Governor Uzodinma and indeed many others spoke glowingly and were delighted by the constellation of men and women, the sea of heads that gathered for peace, the memory of the peace declaration moderated by the Abia State Governor will forever live in the minds of the people.
It read: “We the people of the South East hereby declare that peace is what we stand for as a region. We declare peace for prosperity. Peace for progress. We stand for peace in the South East as a catalyst that will drive growth in all sectors of the economy and rekindle the confidence of future generations. We declare that peace is better. Udo ka nma! May this day, the 29th of December, 2023, at Bende, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, South East Nigeria.”
Ndi Igbo, with PISE-P, one can safely say that it’s a new dawn in the South East.
At this crucial juncture, a call resounds throughout the region—a call to reclaim its former glory, to rediscover the Midas touch that turns efforts into gold. The time has come to reinstate peace and explore alternative strategies in alignment with the socio-political landscape of the nation for the rapid growth of the South East. Indeed, peace is back.
•Nwabughiogu is Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives