19/08/2023
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
AN OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY RT.HON CHIEF FRANCIS OGBONNA NWIFURU, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA.
Saturday, August 19th 2023
RE: ROADMAP TO SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN EFFIUM LAND; THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S POSITION
Your Excellency, special greetings from the good and peace-loving indigenous people of Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
The Concerned Indigenous People of Effium (CIPE) wishes to firstly congratulate you for your emergence as the Executive Governor of Ebonyi state from the just highly contested gubernatorial elections.
Your Excellency, we the indigenous people of Effium have been watching with keen interest how the government of Ebonyi state under your leadership has been handling the issues pertaining the lingering crisis in our dear and once upon a time very peaceful, highly productive and envious community that has contributed impeccably to the social, economic and political developments of Ebonyi state and Nigeria at large.
We salute your interest and courage expressed through your recent audacious statements demonstrating your readiness to bring to an end the almost 3-years old war between the indigenous people of Effium and the Ezza settlers in Effium. However, while your expressed determination is noble, we sincerely advise you to be circumspect and wise in your approach.
Sir, as a war that has practically exposed a well-planned Ezza conquest agenda against the people of Effium and other Orring tribes with its attendant existential threat, we wish to communicate in clear terms our critical observations and resolves as stated below:
1. Your Excellency, we wish to state that your initial approach should have been viewed from the lenses of nobility and earnestness if not for the expressed biasness of your government in appointments of the Ezza settlers (including those who instigated the war in Effium) into principal offices of the government and blatantly excluding Effium people and Orring peoples at large from your appointments. Although you have constituted a committee to review the appointments as we await government’s whitepaper on this effort to address the obvious lacuna but this your initial action alone has dwindled the trust and confidence of our people in your determination to seek for a redress to this crisis.
2. Your Excellency, it is historically evident that Effium people have occupied Effium land for about 350 years before the migration of the Ezza settlers into Effium in the early twentieth century. And before the Ezza migration and acceptance into Effium land by our forefathers in 1911, Effium people have already harboured other ethnic groups such as Ijekebes, Arochukwus, Uburus, Amudas among others; and these other tribes have been living peacefully with the aborigines till date. Ezzas are the last labour migrants into Effium Land.
3. The first Ezzas attempt to resist indigenous authority started in 1927 when the British colonial masters appointed an indigenous county council head for the Effium community as the Ezzas revolted against the indigenous authority and agitated that it should be an Ezza person to be appointed a county council head. Subsequently in 1950, Ezzas continued to execute their conquest agenda by introduction of violence and killings. The names of people they killed were all recorded by the colonial masters and the people that killed them. Also, shortly after the independence, during the civil war, they colluded with some criminal Biafran soldiers of Igbo extraction and formed a dangerous group called Boff in their language Ogbo echachi. This group made sure that indigenous Effium political leaders were killed or forced to leave Effium for good. Then subsequently, changing of the village names started. All efforts to caution the Ezza settlers by the Effiumites to desist from their act of political conquest against Effium Land were completely resisted and proved abortive.
4. Also in 1997 the year preceding the creation of Ebonyi state, and in Ezzas furtherance of ex*****on of their heinous conquest agenda against Effium people, the Ezza settlers started making audacious and excessive demand for the creation of four autonomous communities for the Ezza settlers in Effium. Although, this was vehemently rejected by the indigenous people of Effium but it further exposed the evil-mindedness of Ezza settlers in Effium to conquer and assimilate Effium people instead of accepting to be integrated into the Effium community. There is no human being on planet earth with dual indigeneship. Ezza settlers cannot claim indigeneship of their Ndegazu/Onueke aboriginal land in Ezza North and South LGAs as well as claiming or dragging equal rights of indigeneship with Effium indigenes in Effium community in Ohaukwu LGA of the state.
5. In this present war in Effium, the past governor Engr. Dave Umahi has unfortunately and helplessly watched the Ezzas murdered people from different professional and ethnic groups notwithstanding their constant violations of several cease-fire and peace agreements in the past as instituted by the authorities. All these continued without due punishment from the Ebonyi state government and other authorities concerned. Among the groups that have felled victims of Ezzas’ killings in Effium are the road construction engineers (Nelan engineers), Nigeria policemen, ethnic groups such as the Arochukwu, Ngbo, Izzi, Amuda/Idzem, Ikwo and Ukelle people among others. Ezza people have also violated several ceasefire agreements instituted by the previous committees and panels set up by the government of Ebonyi state. Still, Ebonyi state government is yet to hold the implicated Ezza tribe to account for these killings and terrorism perpetrated by them.
6. Sir, the action and inaction of the Ebonyi state government appears to be colluding and in support of the atrocities and heinous crimes committed by the Ezza settlers in Effium and other Orring communities of the state. For instance, the public is fully aware the excitement of Ezza people over the exclusion of Orring people from your appointments. Comments from the Ezza sons and daughters via the social media platforms are indicative of this show of shame. The public is also very much aware how your government is majorly occupied by the Ezza tribe such as the members of the Ebonyi state House of Assembly, Commissioners and SSAs to which Effium or Orring persons were not found worthy. We are aware that your hands are tied by the Ezza people and your actions may be influenced by them. Ezzas in their treacherous manner have hijacked and are occupying almost all the political posts that were naturally meant for the Orring people in Ebonyi state and it is glaring that the body language of the government is in favour of the conquest agenda meted against the Orring indigenous ethnic group in Ebonyi state, Effium in particular.
7. Your Excellency, we are fully aware of your engagement with Effium political stakeholders and wish to state that this issue is beyond political engagements rather requires wider consultations with the indigenous peoples themselves. We are doubtful that the Effium political stakeholders will still be courageous to present the collective position of Effium people after being abnegated of their political rewards or appointments and that the government will not arm-twist or coerce them into accepting whatever outcome that will be detrimental and unacceptable to the present and future generations of the indigenous people of Effium.
8. Sir, inasmuch as Effium people will continue to show their loyalty and interest in your conflict resolution efforts, we wish to communicate our stance in line with the statements by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. which states “There can be no justice without peace, and there can be no peace without justice. Sustainable peace can only be achieved in an atmosphere of justice and the indigenous people of Effium deserve that justice over their existence and ownership of their God-given natural resources.
9. It is important to note that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended has not vested indigeneship to the settlers. The envy, jealousy, and low level of reasoning of Ezza settlers have made them believe that Effium is weak and can be terrorized and defeated without stress. Ezzas too have their aboriginal lands at the present Ezza North and Ezza South local government areas as no Effiumite will have the temerity to go and drag power and resources with the Ezzas in their aboriginal land. Ezza settlers should allow Effium aborigines to breathe fresh air in their own aboriginal community.
10. Nigeria being a signatory to the UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the government of Nigeria has the responsibility to ensure that the rights of the indigenous peoples are protected and preserved accordingly. Specifically, Article 7 of the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) guarantees (1) indigenous individuals’ rights to life, physical and mental integrity, liberty and security of person. (2) Indigenous peoples have the collective right to live in freedom, peace and security as distinct peoples and shall not be subjected to any act of genocide or any other act of violence, including forcibly removing children of the group to another group.
11. Furthermore, Article 26 of the same UNDRIP states that (1) Indigenous peoples have the right to the lands, territories and resources which they have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired. (2) Indigenous peoples have the right to own, use, develop and control the lands, territories and resources that they possess by reason of traditional ownership or other traditional occupation or use, as well as those which they have otherwise acquired. (3) States shall give legal recognition and protection to these lands, territories and resources. Such recognition shall be conducted with due respect to the customs, traditions and land tenure systems of the indigenous peoples concerned.
12. Based on the above, and as Ezza settlers have decided to continue in oppressing the good people of Effium in Effium land without government willingness in taking the right and justifiable steps to stop Ezzas undue encroachments and invasion of indigenous peoples land and other resources, the indigenous people of Effium cannot be compelled or coerced by any government or its panels sitting elsewhere to transfer the ownership of its resources including land, territory and others to Ezza settlers for whatever reasons. While we are committed to following up with the Committee and its activities as led by the respectable immediate past Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Bishop. Michael Nnachi Okoro, we cannot trade our Land or other resources of our people for anything because doing so and based on already established antecedents will endanger our existence as a people and that of our generations to come.
13. We call on the God, gods and deities of Effium Land in their names Olonwileta, Ogakama, Ugwueje, Omainyima, Usaigu, Onyimonyi, Omoji, Usa w’Uffiacha, among others to unleash their anger against anyone who dares to take any action to forcefully dispossess Effium indigenous people of their resources. Orring people are the chief priests of all the significant deities in Abakaliki region which further validated ownership as historically evident.
14. Effium people have magnanimously harboured Ezza migrants in Effium for more than 100 years. Their act of reciprocation is for the Ezza settlers to unleash a conquest war against Effium indigenous people and Land. Let the Ezzas settlers approach other tribes to show them such love and magnanimity. Effium Land has rejected the publicly known troublemakers who are good at committing act of terrorism and genocides against indigenous communities wherever they are being accommodated. However, since the population of Ezzas is still posing serious threat to peaceful co-existence to the entire Abakaliki people, we suggest all ethnic groups in Abakaliki region to have a session to discuss how to help them out. Orring people have sacrificed a lot. Almost all Orring communities have harbored the Ezzas, so we are tired as other people such as Izzis, Ikwos, Ngbos, etc. should come in and help.
15. We urge your government to also consult with other elders of Abakaliki people such as elders of Izzi, Ikwo and Ngbo to ascertain their counsel in this matter as Land/communal issues are delicate and will require great wisdom and wider consultations (especially with the elders) to seek redress. This is because if this issue is not properly handled may lead to more destructive consequences.
16. We are hereby putting the Federal Government and the International community on notice about the plan of Ebonyi state government under the leadership of Rt. Hon Chief Ogbonna Francis Nwifuru to dispossess Effium people of their Land and enable Ezza settlers to continue to unlawfully takeover aboriginal resources and execute their conquest agenda against Effium people in particular and Orring ethnic group in general.
17. Thank you immensely as we pray for wisdom to take supreme in handling this matter.
God bless Effium Community
God bless Ebonyi State
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Sincerely,
Signed:
FOR: CONCERNED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF EFFIUM
1. Comrade Emmanuel Acha
2. Pst. Chinatu Edene
3. Hon. Chief James Idenyi
4. Mr. Uche Sunday
5. Mr. Emmanuel Ogigba
6. Comrade Chukwuma Obo
7. Mr. Ishegbe Sunday Ekpe
8. Pst. Bright Elias Eje
