A group picture of the women’s wing of Odual Peoples Assembly during the campaign
These are not the best of
times for communities across Rivers State and other parts of Nigeria, following the tensions that have continued to build up as a result of the forthcoming general elections.
Indeed, there are palpable fears across the land that the elections may likely generate violence.
Consequently, many communities social groups and even the traditional institutions across the country are now mounting series of peace campaigns in their respective communities and kingdoms.
One of such groups is the women wing of the Odual People Assembly (OPA) which is not left out in the campaign to ensure peace in Odual Communities in the Abua/Odual Local Government Area.
The president of the women’s wing of the Odual Peoples Assembly, Mrs. Jessey Edeh told The Tide that the women who are all based in Port Harcourt decided that it would be better to go home and tell the youths of the dangers involved in electoral violence.
Edeh said that Odual Kingdom which is made up of nine communities is too small to lose any of its youths in election this time around as successive government in which the people have worked for have not cared to develop the area.
“We felt that as mothers, there is no point sitting in Port Harcourt, so we decided to carry the campaign to the youths in the communities”, she said.
The campaign train which took of from Port Harcourt , the state capital, moved round the whole of the nine communities of Odual Kingdom in the Abua/Odual Local Government Area.
The first port of call was Odau, then Obedum Emiriopoko and Anya.
The campaign train also moved to Ekunuga Okolomade Emelogo, Adada and Ogboloma communities.
In each of the communities a drama sketch highlighting the dangers of electoral violence and youth restiveness was showcased.
The OPA women boss alerted the large gathering of the people in each of the communities of the dangers of electoral violence.
Explaining that the Association is apolitical and only interested in the welfare of Odual youths, Edeh warned against selling of their permanent voters cards (PVC) as doing that will amount to mortgaging their destiny and the future of their generations.
“We have been marginalized for too long and we are too small to lose my of you”, she pleaded.
She assured that the group will partner with Community Development Committees (CDCs) traditional rulers and chiefs and opinion leaders to pass the message to the youths.
“We have to tell our people to make wise decisions by voting for people that can charge our conditions”, she said.
Also speaking Mrs. Edna Abigo maintained that the mission of the women is for peace in Odual Kingdom “we don’t want any of you to lose your life Odual is too smale to lose you there must be peace during and after the elections”, on his port, the Oolema Odual HRM King Temple Jamalla said that no Odual youth must be used as a sacrificial lamb to advance the interest of any politician.
The monarch who gave the warming when the campaign train visited his palace at Emelego the headquarters of Odual Kingdom described peace as the only anti dot for development in Odual Kingdom.
“Peace and development are intertwined my appeal is that there should be peace and development in Odual”, Jamala advised.
He described the mission of the women as very crucial to the peace and development of Odual Kingdom, adding that his palace would give them full support.
“You are in the right path this Kingdom is proud of you and would be ready to support you to achieve peace in Odual Kingdom.
“I urged you to continue with the path you have chosen to bring peace to Odual”, he said.
For Chief Deacon Tom Omeri Abigo, no bloodshed will be recorded in Odual during the election.
Abigo a former permanent secretary, governor’s office, Port Harcourt, spoke when the women visited Ekunuga his home town.
The senior citizen who is also the head chief of Ekunuga, said the Kingdom is too small to contain any act of violence and restiveness.
He said that for leaving the comfort of Port Harcourt to the communities for campaign, the women have indeed shown that they are the mothers of Odual.
Similarly, former member of the House of Representatives, Barrister Friday Abigo descried the campaign as first of its find in Odual Kingdom.
Abigo said that the issue of peace in Odual was a subject of discussion at the meeting of Odual council of chiefs and a directive has been issued to all town criers in the kingdom to tell the people to work for peace during the elections.
The Oolema of Okolomade, Chief Mondibo James said that the mission of the women would surely bring good things to Odual Kingdom, stressing that the same issue of peace was also disclosed during a meeting with the Divisional Police Office (DPO) incharged of Abua/Odual Division.
The Okolomade Monarch said that, he is happy that the women are on the same mission of peace, adding that indigenes of Okolomde have already been instructed to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner during and after the elections.
The same message of support for peace during he elections was echoed by chairmen of the respective Community Development Committee (COC).
The chairman, community development committee of Odau, Mr. Sokari Ikechekwu led the pack of other CDC chairmen in the area to pledge their support for the peace campaign and the assurance to take the message to their people in their respective homes.
The other CDC chairmen include that of Obedum, Mr. Enoch Itoyo, his counterpart at Emirikpoko Stephen Amos and that of Anyu, Chief Godwin Gabriel.
The rest are the CDC chairman of Ekunuga, Mr. Anthony Isaiah Abigo, that of Okolomade Selemi I. Elogho, Emelego Mr. Heart Udidia; and that of Adada community.
They all pledged their support to the peace campaign.
However in the eyes of the public, the mission of the women was a worthwhile venture but its effect will be put to test during and after the elections