Community of Anambra forbids youth activities, levies

The residents of the Isuaniocha community, which is located in the Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, have come to the conclusion that it is in everyone’s best interest for the community as a whole as well as their own personal well-being to put an end to the five-year conflict that has been wreaking havoc on their lives.

On Sunday, the community held a general meeting in which the elders, women, youths, and stakeholders took part. As part of the discussion, the community decided to prohibit all activities involving youths as well as the collection of levies in the various forests in the area. This was done in an effort to maintain peace and order.

After the meeting, the Chairman of Umulem town, which is one of the towns in the community, Chief Donatus Anyaegbunem, explained to the journalists that the decision had been made by the community after they realized that it was the primary cause of the ongoing crisis in the region.

Anyaegbunem made the observation that the entire community descended from a single parent and that there was no reason for the situation to have deteriorated to the point where it would be necessary for people to leave the town.

He stated that “the decision was taken so that all aggrieved and concerned persons will come out and proffer the way forward having agreed that peace was the best option for the overall interest of the entire community.” He also said that “the decision was taken so that all aggrieved and concerned persons will come out and proffer the way forward.”

“We have therefore established a Peace committee with the mandate of speaking with all parties involved in the five-year-long crises and returning with recommendations aimed at ensuring enduring peace in Isuaniocha. This committee has been given the responsibility of speaking with all parties involved in the crises.

“Those who were already paying rent and levies to private individuals were instructed to cease doing so immediately until all issues are resolved,” said the directive.

“The elders and Ndi Ozor set the tone for the peace talks as they opened the floor for all persons who were aggrieved and concerned to come out and proffer a way forward having agreed that peace was the best option for the overall interest of the entire Community.”

The people of Isuaniocha used the medium to send a stern warning to all persons and individuals from neighboring communities who were intruding and fanning the ember of crises in Isuaniocha, urging them to stop doing so from this point forward.

Chief Obuka Okoye from Otoko village and Luise Ndubuife made an appeal to those whose homes and means of livelihood were destroyed to forgive those involved in the destruction of their property in the interest of maintaining peace in the community and fostering its economic growth.

One of the victims of the crises, Mr. Madiegbuna Igboanyia, recounted the trauma that some of them went through in the previous five years, and he called on the elders to remove sentiment and ensure that the truth is said at all times, as this is the only tool that can bring about lasting peace.

Another victim, Paulinus Onyeagolu, whose family houses were destroyed and property looted, stated that they decided to initiate the peace process in order to put an end to all of the issues that do nobody any good. Paulinus Onyeagolu’s family houses and property were both destroyed during the conflict.

Chukwudi Onuorah, Chairman of the Ozor-in-Council in Isuaniocha, stated that this was the first time that the entire community was coming together to embrace peace. He also expressed the hope that every matter would be resolved so that indigenes and residents will no longer have a course to run helter-skelter.

He appealed to the parents in the community, saying that they should encourage their children, young people, and relatives to refrain from committing any further attacks because actions of this nature could undermine the progress that has been made toward establishing peace.

The elders and Ozor-in-Council are responsible for selecting members for the Peace Committee. These members include the chairmen and secretaries of each of the villages, as well as notable upright women leaders and other notable upright persons.

Since the outbreak of the crises in 2018, which resulted in the loss of some lives and the destruction of property, this was the first time that the entire population had sat down together to talk about it.