From OUR REPORTER
Anambra East Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Chinweze has calmed frayed minds seething for vengeance as a result of the killing of a 54-year old farmer, Ikeabali Onwuesi from Mgboko Igboezunu in Aguleri quarter of the Area some five months ago. Onwuesi was shot by suspected gunmen in his farms leading to his death while a few others escaped with wounds on the fateful day in connection with face-off between members of Mgboko Village in Igboezunu Aguleri and Irugege Kindred in Umudiana Umueri, both in Anambra East Local Government over an age-long disputed land. The shooting, it was learnt was initially mistaken for inter-community warfare until the clearer picture reportedly showed that a suspected leader of a gang on self-serving land grabbing mission had orchestrated the sporadic shootings which caught Aguleri farmers napping. The killing jolted youths into taking up arms for counter offensive and reprisal, forcing natives of both sides to flee to neighbouring communities in Omor in Ayamelum, Umuoba-Anam in Anambra East and Nteje in Oyi Council Areas of the State respectively until the timely intervention of the then Transition Committee Chairman of Anambra State, Chinweze. According to a source, Chinweze, accompanied by security operatives had stormed the camps of the youths from the two warring communities and cautioned them against the dangers of taking up arms over the killings. We gathered that the agitated youths were later to discover that the dastardly act was not an issue of hostilities but that of land grabbing and heeded tonthe plea of the Local Government Council Chairman. Based in the new development, the youths were believed to have cooperated and saw to the arrest of the suspected killer by the police , acting on a tip-off by vigilance group.
It was further gathered that Chinweze convinced the youths that reprisal was not the best option. Consequently, both camps agreed that all arms distributed to the youths should be returned to the local community Vigilante Services in the two towns under the supervision of the two Presidents- general of the affected communities
They also agreed to lay down their arms to allow the then already planned Local Council Elections hold, after which a stakeholders’ meeting of the two Communities would be convened on the way forward to end the matter in perpetuity. We gathered that, after the Local Council Chairmanship election was held freely and fairly, the victorious Chinweze who initiated the peace overtures, tenaciously kept to his promise and actualized the peaceful Stakeholders meeting of the two affected communities, leading to identification snd delineation of respective villages’ boundaries and amicable land sharing by the two families.
Speaking after the recent peaceful reconciliation and resolutions of land dispute, Chinweze recalled that when few months ago when the crisis erupted, he insisted there must be no more communal clashes of any kind between communities in the Council Area under his watch. The Council boss said he had previously been visiting the communities with his gospel of peace and reconciliation , using the strategy of restriction of boundary demarcation issues to only the two immediate families or clans at the border area. The Anambra East Local Council boss hailed the two villages, reiterating that there is no alternative to peace and unity.
“Our local government, which was the pioneer local government in the old Anambra setting, has continued to move backward in terms of development, despite all the sacrifices and our connection and access to air, water, and land routes to other parts of the country and beyond. ,”This is because of many communal clashes. Now, we have resolved that peace must have its place in Anambra East, and I can assure you that any two communities or families that cannot resolve their border issues will leave us no choice but to invite the state government to use the land for any project that will benefit both communities. I’m also glad to announce that this very boundary shall be separated by a road which we shall gladly call Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo Road,” he said.
He also assured both villages that if either side has any issues needing to be addressed by the Boundary Committee, they should put it in writing and bring it forward for consideration in their next sitting Chinweze attributed the success of the peace resolution on the close working relationship he established with the traditional rulers and town union Presidents-general in Anambra East Local Council Area.
Iñ his words of appreciation, the President-general of Aguleri Community Assembly, Barr. Rolex Ilokasia, a lawyer commended the Chinweze for his commitment towards making the historic boundary demarcation exercise a reality, and called on both Mgboko and Umudiana to sustain the peace and understand it could only be attained by sacrifices from both sides.
Also, the Chairman of the Mgboko and Umudiana Peace Committee, Igwe Sir George Ekwealor, who spoke on behalf of the community rulers from Umuoba-Anam, Mkpunando and Enugu-otu Aguleri respectively commended the resilience of the Anambra East Mayor. “We have had many local government chairmen in the past, but none were as committed to achieving peacet and reconciliation in Anambra East as Hon. Ifeanyi Chinweze,” Igwe Ekwealor said.
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