. as Adazi-Enu monarch declares every 1st January Enugwu village day
By Chunks Eke
The people of Enugwu village, Adazi-Enu in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, have donated a vehicle, six motorcycles, security gadgets and other communication equipment to its local security operatives in order to tackle growing insecurity in the community.
This development came as the traditional ruler of the Adazi-Enu community, His Royal Highness, HRH, Igwe Alphonsus Okpalaechelu (Obi Okotu II of Adazi-Enu) declared January 1, every year as Enugwu village day in the community.
Igwe Okpalaechelu who made the declaration while commissioning the newly acquired vehicle, motorcycles and gadgets, and unveiling of the security gadgets to their local vigilante operatives to fortify their security network in the area, in company of his traditional Prime Minister (Onowu), Chief Sunday Ezeokonkwo and members of his cabinet , said out of the six villages in the community, Enugwu has always been at the the forefront of developmental strides in the area.
The monarch therefore urged other villages to emulate Enugwu village by poling their resources together and at the same time girding their loins for the best interest of he community.
Speaking at the event which marked ‘2024 Enugwu Village Day’ celebration at the Enugwu Civic Centre, Chairman of the village, Chief Jideofor Okongwu, stressed that restoration of peace, unity and security has become a top priority in the community, hence the need to fortify the local security outfit with a view to enhance their operations.
Okongwu, a lawyer and one-time Chairman of Nigerian Bar Associarion, NBA, Anaocha branch, one of the eight branches of NBA in Anambra state, who spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the event, noted that security has become a major concern in recent times, which is preventing their “sons and daughters” who reside outside the community from returning home, especially during Yuletide and other major celebrations.
He described the donation of the security items as a good development, while expressing optimism that it would boost security operations in the area and create the needed atmosphere for their indigenes in the diaspora to return home en masse during Yuletide celebrations.
He said, “Today, we are celebrating ‘Enugwu Day’ and we are also using the opportunity to donate security items like vehicle, motorcycles, gadgets and communication equipment to our local security outfit. There are six villages that made up of the community and we are telling our sons and daughters in the diaspora, who have refused to return home during Yuletide and other celebrations for fear of insecurity that they are safe to return.
“As a result of growing insecurity, we decided to solidify our local security by coming together to donate various sums of money to the cause. It is a self-help and our community is the first to do it in Adazi-Enu. We bought those items for security patrol day and night.
“That is why we can celebrate today in peace and as you can see our sons and daughters from the diaspora came home en masse for this celebration. Initially, insecurity made them shun coming home and it became a worrisome development, especially for the elders of the community till we decided to fortify our security forces.
“We will be working in collaboration with the central security system under the local government and if there is any challenge, we will call upon the central. We are also calling upon the state government for more assistance in the area of infrastructure and security, just as we are happy about the turn up of our people from the diaspora, we are assuring them that they are safe and secure whenever they return home.”
Also speaking in his address, the President-General of Adazi-Enu Town Union, Chief Emmanuel Ejidike, commended the people of the community in their efforts towards tackling insecurity as well as other achievements for the community.
Ejidike said, “This is one of the communities that I preside as the PG and I am attracted because of their affection to fight insecurity. They procured vehicles, motorcycles, security gadgets and communication equipment and they want to hand them over to the security outfit, it is a welcome development.
“That is why I am here as the PG of the Adazi-Enu community that comprises Enugwu Village and to confirm that they handed over the equipment to the central security town vigilante service. We want other communities to emulate what is happening here today, because security is everybody’s business and it requires collective effort.
“With this, there is nothing we are expecting than for our people to go and sleep with their two eyes closed knowing full well that they are safe and secured. We are also begging the state government to provide more infrastructure that will enhance security in the area.”
