OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO/ GODWIN AYOBAMI RACHEL
Hundreds of youths from crisis-ridden Aladja and Ogbeh-Ijoh communities in Udu and Warri South West Local Government Areas of Delta State staged a peaceful rally to the secretariat of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Warri demanding total ceasefire to the age long hostilities between the two communities over land boundary disputes.
Led by Mr. Thompson Layefa Eniangha (Ogbe-Ijoh) and Mr. Bezi Ejovwo Ighotegwohor (Aladja) respectively.
The youths under the auspices of Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh Peace Vanguard declared that they were “tired of ceaseless bloodlettings” in their communities, they called on Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State Governor to call the community leaders including their royal fathers to a roundtable talk for a meaningful dialogue with a view to finding an enduring solution to the lingering boundary disputes.
According to the youths, “we the youths of Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh are tired of killing ourselves. Enough of the senseless deaths and killings of ourselves in Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh since these five years. We are tired of war in our communities. It is peace and development we want.”
They however expressed delight that the peace initiatives they have been canvassing through awareness campaigns since the beginning of this year has started yielding positive dividends as “members of the two communities have started going to both sides without fear of intimidation, unlike before”.
But they noted that what they presently have in their communities is “fragile peace”, hence the call on Governor Okowa to “call the community leaders, including the royal fathers and opinion leaders to a round table where the Governor can further assist them in reconciling the aggrieved parties and make them to sign workable undertakings for permanent peace in the two neighbouring communities.
The youths added, “whoever is found to be the cog in the wheel of progress should be decisively dealt with according to the laws of the land.”
Speaking further, the youths canvassed for government’s palliatives for victims of the five years hostilities, in form of scholarship scheme or educational support in whatever form, for the children of those who had either died or suffered irreparable losses in the disputes.
The youths promised to further take the peace rally to other parts of Delta including Asaba, the State capital.
