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By Debo Oladimeji
People evaluate and assign worth to themselves in the first instance, and feel indignation on their own behalf. But they are also capable of assigning worth to other people, and feeling anger on behalf of others. Francis Fukuyama: The End Of History And The Last Man
It is no longer news that the Southeast and parts of South-South have come under heavy attacks in the last two months. Insecurity is struggling to be the order of the day. The saying is that reasonable people could disagree without resorting to violence, that is why stakeholders are now saying no to every form of lawlessness, Imo State and others are not known for such.
Stakeholders both home and abroad are now agitating for peaceful initiatives to secure the state and the law-abiding citizens whose lives had been significantly impacted by the general insecurity. Many rightly urged the people to desist from making utterances that could inflame the current situation.
About 50 bishops and other heads of faith-based organisations in Imo, after a meeting with Governor Hope Uzodinma, urged all the aggrieved persons to sheathe their swords and join the governor to restore peace and security of the state.
“For a state like Imo, where almost everyone is a member of the church, there is a need for caution because like the saying goes, the danger of creating a monster is that one day it will turn against its master.
Also, elder statesman, Chief Sam Anokam, has called on all residents of the state to stop blaming the governor and desist from clapping for the state of anarchy in the state.
In fact the ideal of calling for a state of emergency should be discarded because the state has returned to a state of normalcy.
Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), an umbrella of Igbo intelligentsia has also said that everybody should vote for peace.
This was as Mbaise leaders in the United States of America stressed the need for peaceful coexistence among the citizens of Imo State.
ILT Chairman, Professor Ben Nwabueze, stated that the circumstances had changed over the past 50 years and lessons ought to have been learnt.
In a statement signed by the Moderator of Mbaise Leadership Forum MLF, Chris Ohanele, and President, Mbaise in U.S.A., Chief Samuel Echendu, the group described the crisis in Imo State as needless, while hoping for the return of peace in the state.
The statement read in part: “Social media should be used responsibly and not as a tool to cause panic. It should not be used to post hateful propaganda and incendiary comments. In the face of a common threat to our security, it is necessary that we stay united even as we may have different points of views.”
Similarly, a socio-political group, Imolites Collective (IC), also urged Governor Hope Uzodinma to focus on delivering on his mandate instead of joining issues with overzealous politicians that have no good intentions for Imo people except what they would get out of political positions.
In a statement in Abuja, the group’s President and Secretary, Longinus Duru and Ernest Iroha, said that “time has come for all patriotic citizens of Imo State to rise up against the attempt by politicians to make the state a theatre of war.”
IC noted with regrets that the peace and harmony, which Imo State is known for, began to slide as soon as the state government made efforts to enforce the findings of a commission of inquiry that investigated the large scale looting and misappropriation in the state.
“We are an aggregation of Imo State citizens from various professions without affiliation to or with any political party or politically exposed persons. We have watched with dismay the wanton destruction of property, loss of lives and descent to anomie in our dear state.”
More also, the Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has enjoined agitators in the South East to exercise restraints and give peace a chance.
He argued that contrary to notions held in certain quarters, President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to the country’s unity.
The Enugu State politician asserted that Buhari had been grossly misunderstood over his recent stance against the activities of secessionists in the country.
Said he: “What the President is trying to do is to let everybody know that we need to remain in this country and will prosper it. If it prospers, every ethnic group and region would benefit. No President will be happy that police stations and electoral commission offices are being burnt.”
Meanwhile, Governor Hope Uzodinma is ensuring that he communicates his plans and programmes to Imo people so that they stand on the same page with him in the task of making the state the citadel of peace and harmony it has always been.
The governor is ever ready to develop the state. The construction of 305 classroom blocks, conference rooms and e-libraries, in the 305 political wards at the cost of N35m was ongoing, all schools were in session and no teacher was owed, plans were ongoing to provide feeding arrangements for public schools pupils.
He did not allow the crisis in the state to derail his vision for the state. That is why many people believe that he was sent by God to redeem the image of the state.
“I was sent by the Almighty God. Owerri was abandoned for many years. Now, we are recovering it. The master-plan was altered. My government is an all-inclusive one. It is only when we come together that we can move forward.”
Already 2,000 youths are being recruited for agriculture and farming, promising to replicate free distribution of fertilisers as carried out last year to registered farmers.
On the security, he said: “We are not going to allow economy of Imo State to crumble. “We have a simply destination. And that destination is to recover Imo State. I have come to work. I will partner with those who are ready to partner with us. I will defend government’s policies and programmes without fear or favour,” Governor Uzodinma reiterated.