To some people, it was like a dream just as it was foretold in the Bible when the Lord will turn back the captivity of Zion. But this time, it is for real and many shed tears of joy seeing warring brothers and sisters sit down together again to drink, make merry and hug one another. Uda community, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State is a town that has produced many prominent sons and daughters. Some of them include Innocent Agbo, former Secretary to the Enugu State government, and the current member representing Igbo-Eze Udenu Federal Constituency, Hon Dennis Agbo. There are also others doing well in various fields of endeavour – legal practice, engineering, among others. But like the fabled Things Fall Apart poem by W.B Keats in The Second Coming, eight years ago, the very cord that held the community together got broken and things fell apart, forcing the centre to no longer hold. It became every man to himself as enmity took over peace while anger reigned in the land. The two traditional rulers from the community became lone voices as nobody recognized their voices anymore. Fines, penalties and ostracism became the order of the day while peace frantically took flight. Several interventions were made in the past to broker peace but nothing positive came out of them until the incumbent chairman of the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area who incidentally hails from the community, Chief Celestine Ezeugwu, decided to take the bull by the horns. Ezeugwu popularly known as Mayor rallied the indigenous and resident clergymen in the community who set the machinery in motion towards resolving the age-long dispute. Taking a step further, a peace and constitution drafting committee was set up and the team toiled day and night even as logistics were provided to ensure that all leakage and loopholes were blocked. Eventually, the peace move materialized into reconciliation and all parties agreed to come together under one umbrella. To mark the formal return of peace and the signing of the new constitution guiding members of the community into law, the community rolled out the drums for celebration on November 28. At the venue for the celebration at the Uda community primary school it was like a carnival bigger than Christmas celebration. It was an Afor market day and the bulk of the people that normally troop to Obollo Afor market on such days for several business transactions had to forfeit their trip to be part of the historic celebration. In a sermon during the interdenominational church service, an Anglican clergy, Ven. Ekpunobi described the gathering as the birth of a new dawn in the life of the people. He exhorted them to look unto Christ who is the author and finisher of their faith and also charged them to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness. He reminded them that Christ gave the apostles charge to forgive 70 times seven which means that forgiveness has no limit. He said that forgiveness was the only thing that would guarantee lasting peace and progress in the community. The man whom God used to broker peace in the community, Hon. Ezeugwu in a remark noted that his heart was filled with joy for what they were witnessing on that day. While thanking Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for supporting the council, his visionary and purpose driven governance in Enugu State in the last six months, he recalled that when he was sworn in as Chairman of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Council on January 15, 2015 following the impeachment of Bonaventure Onuh, he was disturbed in spirit over the lingering crisis and thereafter made it as a point of priority to foster peace in his community because they say that charity begins at home. Ezeugwu said that the peace process started in earnest four months ago when he called a stakeholders meeting in his residence and they succeeded in signing an undertaking for peace to thrive. But that was the beginning of the struggle as some people stood on the way of the peace initiative, but in the long run, sanity prevailed. The council chairman said that the crisis that erupted in the community has made everybody to realize the importance of peace and to foster human rights observance, as well as throw away intimidation, dictatorship and high-handedness. “Today is a good day for all of us and by God’s grace, we shall sustain it. Devil is a hater of any good thing and that was why we were torn apart despite the fact that Uda used to be a very peaceful community. A new Uda has berthed now and the task to preserve the peace has started. Among the 15 clans that make up the community, I advise you all to go home and maintain peace. Everybody must be carried along for the interest of peace while I also advise that only people of good character should be brought forth for any community assignment henceforth” he said. Parish Priest of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Udah and Director, Justice and Peace Commission in Nsukka Diocese, Rev. Fr. Simeon Ugwueze in a remark charged the people to shun idle gossiping and rumour mongering. The traditional ruler of Ezeodo community, Igwe Hyacinth Odo prayed that such crisis would not erupt again in the community. Another traditional ruler, Igwe Nathaniel Eze of Agbonomudaga autonomous community also spoke in the same light and invoked God’s blessings on the council chairman for initiating and succeeding in the peace move. The monarch prayed that greater positions of political leadership will be bestowed on Ezeugwu since he has proved competence in the one assigned to him. Signing of the new byelaws/constitution, hoisting of the new Uda peace flag, cultural dances and masquerade display were highlights of the event.
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