BY CHUKS NWEZE / ENUGU
Indigenes of Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have called on Governor Francis Nwifuru not to take sides in the lingering communal crisis between them and their Ezza counterpart who they claim are “settlers”.
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The group under the aegis of “Concerned Indigenous People of Effium, (CIPE) also accused the governor of being biased in the political appointments he made so far, saying he favoured Ezza Indigenes more than them.
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The group in a passionate letter made available to Daily News Nigeria in Enugu on Sunday, appealed to the governor not to toe the line of his predecessor, Dave Umahi who seemed to look the other way while Ezza people were allegedly killing and maiming them.
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The letter was titled: “An Open letter to His Excellency Rt. Hon. Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, The Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Nigeria: The: Roadmap to Sustainable Peace in Effium Land; The People’s Position”.
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It was was signed by eight members of the group: Comrade Emmanuel Acha, Pst Chinatu Edene, Hon. Chief James Idenyi, Mr. Uche Sunday, Mr. Emmanuel Ogigba, Comdr Chukwuma Obo, Mr. Ishegbe Sunday Ekpe and PST Bright Elias Eje.
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They, however, congratulated the governor on his emergence as the new governor of the State and also commended his commitment to end the three-year old war but sued the governor to be above board in his efforts to broker an enduring peace.
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Parts of the letter read: “Your Excellency, special greetings from the good and peace-loving indigenous people of Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
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“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.
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“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 to 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.
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“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.
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“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 resolve as stated below:
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“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 white paper 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.
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“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, Effium people have already harboured other ethnic groups such as Ijekebes, Arochukwus, Uburus
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