By Patrick Obia
Two brother communities at loggerheads over a land dispute in Obubra, central Cross River State – Ofatura and Ovonum have been begged to sheath their swords and embrace peace.
They were enjoined to love themselves as brothers and sisters in a mediation visit by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) led by the State Chairman – Dan Obo Jr.
Recall that Ofatura and Ovonum, sister communities who intermarried for decades on May 4th, 2023 took arms to themselves over a parcel of land leading to loss of lives and properties.
And in the mediation visit held in both communities on Sunday, May 21, 2023, the NYCN Chairman said they have fought enough and it is time to take over their local government and boost development.
“It is time to take back our local government. If we take back our LGA, war will stop, youth unemployment will stop, and restiveness will stop.
“I feel indebted that it happened in other local government and we go and it has happened in my LGA and it becomes difficult to come,” he said, calling on the youths not to be pushed to war against themselves by politics and personal gains.
Where There Is No Peace, No Development – Partners for Peace
Also admonishing the communities, the State Coordinator of Partners for Peace (P4P) in the Niger Delta, Ukorebi Esien inferred that right from time immemorial, war has never benefited anyone but rather it comes with misery and agony.
Ukorebi, an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) said where there is no peace, there will be no development as no businessman or investor would want to invest in such an environment knowing that it is going to be destroyed.
He posited that whenever there’s a communal crisis, money is being released and someone collects it, questioning: “Why kill yourselves for the benefit of other people?”
“We are young people, we have not come to that realization for our communities to be developed. We are seated here as youths have to come together in partnership and unity, not in division.
“We struggle for land and don’t care how many people die in the process; the same land we will all die and leave, people who had farmed in those lands, how many of them are still alive.
“Whenever there is an issue, the best thing to do is to call leaders of both communities, sit down, and dialogue.”
On their part, both communities after a pricking on what led to the crisis, said they are ready to lay down their weapons and embrace peace.
They, however, pray NYCN and other spirited organizations to come to their aid in putting an end to the lingering communal disputes since the government has paid deaf ears in terms of proper land demarcation.
Earlier, the Youth Chairman of Obubra Local Government Area, Saviour Andrew, welcomed all for the timely visit which he said will go a long way to calm the tension.
While saying both communities are ready to open their arms of peace, he said the arsons are beginning to impact negatively on them.
Distributing relief materials to both communities, philanthropist Nsiyam Ogar said the gesture is to help cushion the negative effect the war might have caused.
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