UKPA/OJU, ANU GBOKEKE KAIHIA’NINARI
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| EGBE EMMANUEL IJUOH |
A HEARTFELT APPEAL FOR PEACE, UNITY AND RECONCILIATION IN IGEDE LAND.
My name is Hon. Egbe Emmanuel Ijuoh, and I hail from Okpodom-Ega, Okileme, Ibilla.
Today, I speak not out of hatred, bitterness or a desire to take sides, but out of a deep concern for the peace, unity and future of our beloved Igede land. I make this passionate appeal to our brothers and sisters in Ukpa/Oju and every part of Igede nation: Let us embrace peace. We do not need another crisis at this critical moment in our history.
I speak from personal experience, not from hearsay. I have been a victim of the last two crises at the center involving Ukpa and Ibilla, and, more painfully, the crisis between Oju and Ibilla. The consequences of these unfortunate events have left scars in my heart that words can hardly describe.
The most devastating experience of my life came when I lost my beloved mother. While I was mourning her passing and participating in the service of songs in her honour, tragedy struck my family. On Sunday, 11th June, my house, shops, goods and virtually everything I had laboured for were burnt down.
Imagine the pain of losing a mother and, at the same time, watching the fruits of years of hard work reduced to ashes. Imagine preparing to lay your mother to rest while being confronted with the destruction of your home, your means of livelihood and the property you had painstakingly acquired over the years.
What was my offence? What crime did I commit? Nothing, as far as I know, other than being a son of Ibilla caught in the unfortunate circumstances of a communal crisis.
Even today, I wake up to the painful reality of seeing the debris of my father's burnt house, my shops and the goods that once represented my hope, sacrifice and determination to build a better life. These are not merely buildings and material possessions; they represent years of labour, dreams, aspirations and personal sacrifice.
For those who may not fully appreciate the extent of my loss, consider the proximity of my house to Oba’Olori and the site of the University of Applied Science. These places are too far from my surroundings and aspirations, yet the destruction left me with memories of pain and loss.
What happened was a tragedy, a tragedy that should never have occurred and one that I would not wish upon anyone, not even my enemy. I would not wish such suffering on any Igede son or daughter, regardless of community, clan or political affiliation.
Anu Gbokeke! Ol’Igede Onyinam!
How did we get here? How did we allow disagreements among brothers and sisters to degenerate into violence, destruction and the loss of property? How did we reach a point where people who share the same ancestry, language, culture and heritage could turn against one another?
Igede is one. We may belong to different communities, kindreds and families, but our roots are connected. We speak the same language, share the same cultural identity and look forward to a common future. The pain of one Igede community should be a concern to every other Igede community.
There is absolutely no gain in fighting a war against ourselves. No community emerges a true winner when its brothers and sisters are displaced, homes are destroyed, businesses are burnt and innocent people are left traumatised. At the end of every communal conflict, the people who suffer most are ordinary families, hardworking citizens, women, children, youths and the elderly.
Our children deserve to grow up in an environment where they can visit their relatives across community boundaries without fear. Our traders deserve to conduct their businesses peacefully. Our farmers deserve to cultivate their lands without anxiety. Our youths deserve opportunities to build their futures rather than become instruments of violence. Above all, our elders deserve to see an Igede nation united in peace, dignity and mutual respect.
I could have chosen to remain silent because of the painful experiences I have endured. I could have decided that my personal losses were enough reason to withdraw from any conversation about peace. But what good would silence do if another family were to suffer the same fate?
My experience has taught me that peace is not a sign of weakness, and forgiveness does not mean forgetting the pain of the past. Rather, peace is a courageous decision to prevent yesterday's tragedy from becoming tomorrow's history.
I therefore appeal to the traditional rulers, community leaders, political leaders, youth leaders, women groups, religious institutions and every well-meaning son and daughter of Igede land to rise above sentiments, bitterness and the desire for retaliation. Let us encourage dialogue, reconciliation, justice and mutual understanding. Let us address grievances through peaceful and lawful means instead of allowing them to destroy our collective future.
To our brothers and sisters in Ukpa, Oju, Ibilla and other Igede communities, let us remember that our differences should never be greater than our shared identity. Nobody should be made to suffer simply because of the community from which they come. No innocent person should become a victim of violence because of the actions or disagreements of others.
Let us also remember that peace without justice can be fragile, and reconciliation requires sincerity, accountability and a willingness to heal the wounds of the past. Those who have suffered losses deserve compassion, support and a fair opportunity to rebuild their lives.
I am not speaking because I have forgotten what happened to me. I am speaking because I know what it means to lose almost everything you have worked for. I am speaking because I do not want another person to wake up to the same painful reality. I am speaking because I believe that our collective future is far more valuable than any disagreement that may divide us today.
Let us not allow the ashes of our homes to become the foundation of hatred among our people. Instead, let the painful lessons of the past become the foundation of a stronger, more united and peaceful Igede nation.
My heartfelt prayer is that God will comfort every family that has suffered losses, heal our wounded hearts, restore what has been destroyed and grant our leaders the wisdom to guide our people towards lasting peace.
Let us choose dialogue over violence, love over hatred, reconciliation over revenge, and unity over division.
UKPA/OJU ANU GBOKEKE KAHI HIA’NINARI
Igede is one. Our identity is one. Our future must be one.
May peace return to every community in Igede land, and may we never again witness the destruction of our homes, the loss of innocent lives or the suffering of our people because of communal conflict.
~ Hon. Egbe Emmanuel Ijuoh
A concerned son of Okpodom-Ega,
Okileme, Ibilla
Immediate Past Vice Chairman,
Oju LGC
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