Community of Anambra institutes a ban on youth activities as well as collection of levies

The residents of the Isuaniocha community in Anambra State’s Awka North Local Government Area have decided to embrace peace and put an end to the five-year crisis afflicting the community for the area’s overall development.

In order to maintain peace and order, the community banned all youth activities as well as the collection of levies in the region’s various forests during a general meeting on Sunday that included the elders, women, youths, and stakeholders.

Chief Donatus Anyaegbunem, the chairman of Umulem Town, one of the community’s towns, told reporters after the meeting that the community made the decision after realizing it was the main reason for the ongoing crisis in the region.

Anyaegbunem noted that the entire neighborhood was descended from a single parent and had no reason to experience a crisis that would cause residents to flee the area.

The decision was made, he continued, “so that all aggrieved and concerned parties will come forward and offer the way forward having agreed that peace was the best course of action for the overall interest of the entire community.

Therefore, a peace committee was established with the task of speaking with all parties involved in the five-year-long crises and submitting recommendations for ensuring long-term peace in Isuaniocha.

“Those who already paid rent and levies to private individuals were instructed to stop right away until all issues were resolved.

“The elders and Ndi Ozor set the tone for the peace talks as they opened the floor for all aggrieved and concerned persons to come out and proffer a way forward having agreed that peace was the best option for the overall interest of the entire Community,” says Ndi Ozor.

The community used the medium to issue a stern warning to anyone from nearby communities who might be intruding and stoking tensions in Isuaniocha to stop right away.

Chief Obuka Okoye of Otoko village and Luise Ndubuife made an appeal to the people whose homes and means of subsistence were destroyed to forgive those responsible in the name of peace and community development.

Mr. Madiegbuna Igboanyia, one of the victims of the crises, called on the elders to speak the truth at all times and to do so without regard to emotion because that is the only way to achieve lasting peace. He described the trauma some of the victims went through in the previous five years.

Paulinus Onyeagolu, a different victim, whose family’s homes were looted and destroyed, claimed they started the peace process to end all the problems that are harmful to everyone.

It was the first time, according to Chukwudi Onuorah, Chairman of the Ozor-in-Council in Isuaniocha, that everyone in the community was coming together to embrace peace. He also expressed his hope that all issues would be resolved so that locals and residents wouldn’t have to continue running aground and aground.

In order to preserve the peace and advancement being made, he urged community parents to encourage their kids, young people, and relatives to stop attacking one another.

The Ozor-in-Council and the elders nominated women leaders and other notable upright people to serve on the Peace Committee, along with the chairmen and secretaries of each village.

Since crises erupted in 2018 and caused property damage and some deaths, the entire population had not gathered to discuss anything.