EZZA – EZILLO, ON THE FRINGE OF FORCEFUL DISPLACEMENT
BY OKECHUKWU KESHI UKEGBU
As public condensations continue to greet the dislocation of the Bakasi people from their ancestral home, the people of Ezza – Ezillo community in Ishielu Local Government Area in Ebonyi State are facing another possible dislocation from their ancestral home. The circumstances surrounding these two incidents are parallel. While the incidence surrounding that of Bakassi has international link, that of Ezza – Ezilo is more pathetic because they are going to be displaced by their own people and within a nation they have been part and parcel of for centuries.
This fatal journey of the Ezza – Ezillo people began on 9 th May, 2008. on that fateful day a minor disagreement ensued over where to erect a stand for a phone booth between a young man from Ezilo and another from Ezza. The following day, the minor disagreement which could have passed for any other between two brothers degenerating to a wave of unprecedented attacks by the ezillo people on the Ezza – Ezillo people. Houses were destroyed and burnt, farm lands were invaded, people were maimed and killed. The people of Ezza – Ezillo retaliated in self-defense and the result was a communal conflict between the Ezillo and the Ezza – Ezillo.
Following the dastardly and blood-chilling conflicts, the Ebonyi state government set up a peace committee, which was headed by one Eze Chibueze Agbo of Ezzamgbo. The formation of the peace committee was vehemently opposed by Ezza Ezillo people, especially concerning the objectivity of the committee as it relates to its headship. For this reason, the Ezza – Ezillo people failed to submit any memorandum to the committee. This is contained in a save our souls message entitled “An SOS message on the unlawful / forceful relocation of Ezza – Ezillo community of Ishielu L.G.A by governor Martin N. Elechi of Ebonyi State to president Umaru Musaa yar’Adua. The message in paragraph 3 notes “The Immediate reaction of the Government of Ebonyi State was to set up what it termed as a peace committee made of Traditional Rulers, headed by one eze Chibueze Agbo of Ezzamgbo. Even though we were skeptical in the objectivity of the said peace committee, particularly as it relates to its headship; we nevertheless submitted our memorandum to it must as the Ezillo community did”.
True to the fears of the Ezza – Ezillo people even when the peace committee has not concluded its work, the Governor went ahead and adopted some of its recommendations. One of the recommendations which seems to reflect bias and partiality is the relocation of the Ezza – Ezillo people to another piece of land called Egu – Echara, which is not only small, according to the Ezza – Ezilo people but presently occupied by the Ezillo and Ngbo people.
In a text of a special broadcast by Governor Martin n. Elechi on 2 nd October, 2008. and tagged “The Tragedy of Ezillo and its new beginning the Governor decided that the Ezza – Ezillo people should relocate to Egu – Echara land. This is stated in paragraph 9(i) and (ii) of the said text. “Consequently, Government has decided to approve and implement the two key recommendations of the committee as follows
(i) On the demand by Ezillo people that Ezza – Ezillo should completely vacate Ezillo land Government accept the recommendation of the peace committee which views such a request as unjustifiable on the ground that it was Ezillo people that invited the Ezzas to assist them fight their Ngbo rivals over s disputed parcel of land at Egu Echara
(ii) The committee also recommended that for peace to reign permanently at Ezillo, the Ezza – Ezilo should relocate to Egu – Echara land originally allocated to them by Ezillo people through the customary method of land allocation (imaba ogbu) Government accepts that recommendations” the statement noted.
This proposal relocation has placed serious moral and social burdens on the government of Ebonyi state. Though the government contradicts itself in paragraph 10 of the said statement by acknowledging that the Ezillo and Ezza Ezillo people have co-inhabited for scores of decades now which has generated a very cordial relationship such as inter-marriages, it did not put these factors into consideration.
The question is where is Nigeria history has a people being abruptly dislocated from their socio-economic and cultural base. It is unfortunate that the solution, which the Ebonyi state government claim that it has preferred for peace to reign was never contemplated in the worst civil disturbances of the chambers – kutebs, Tivs – Jukuns of benue and taraba States respectively Fulanis – Tivs of plateau state, Ijaws- Itsekiri of Delta state, Umuleri – Aguleri of Anambra state; just to mention but a few. The most pathetic factor is that the dimension of the above riots could in no way be compared to that of Ezillo and Ezza – Ezillo.
Another pitiable dimension to the issue is that with the proposed dislocation of the Ezza – Ezillo people from their present base they would have to abandon 4 primary schools, 1 Health center, 1 secondary school and a good number of churches for a virgin land void of any social amenities. This is noted in a letter by counsel to the Ezza – Ezillo people, Barrister Uche Wisdom Durueke to president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, dated 23 rd March, 2009 and entitled “Plot to use soldiers to forcefully displace about Twelve thousand Ezza – Ezillo persons from their ancestral abodes in Ezillo Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State by the Government of Ebonyi State. – Appeal to save the Ezza – Ezillo people oppression.” The letter reads in the first paragraph “as solicitors to the ezza – Ezillo community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State Government chief Martin Elechi. That our clients numbering about 12,000 should vacate their ancestral lands for their neighbors, Ezillo people. Our clients were asked to move into a forest without facilities. There are no houses for resettlement, no schools for the education of their children, no hospital or clinic for their health care, no market for them to buy and sell, no churches or places of worship, no access road to link them with other town and communities. In all the decision was to spite them.
The letter also accused the Ebonyi State Government of an alleged plot of use soldiers from the 82 Division Nigerian Army, Enugu to forcefully eject the Ezza – Ezillo people from their homes and farmlands. “We are informed by our clients that there is presently a plan by the Ebonyi State Government to use soldiers from the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu to forcefully eject them from homes and farmlands. Our clients are deeply worried that their lives and properties are in obvious danger and that they are about to lose their lands contrary to the due process of law. The plot to use the Army against our clients is calculated to inflict more harm and humiliations on our clients. It is widely believed that the military action will be soon and swift. In view of the above, on behalf of our clients, therefore, we sincerely appeal to your Excellency as the Commander – in – Chief of the Armed forces to halt every use of the military against our clients. Furthermore, our clients are requesting that your office sets up a committee of experts to visit their area study the conflict and make unbiased recommendations to the government”.
To buttress the above claims, Mr. Solomon Ogbuewu Nwankwo from Ezza – Ezillo alleged that on the 17 th March, 2009 that they were forced by soldiers from the 82 division, Nigerian Army, Enugu in the pesence of the GOC to sign a document prepared by the chairman, Ishielu Local Government Council, Barrister Ali Onwa Ai that they have accepted the Ebonyi State Government’s directive that they vacate their ancestral lands for Ezillo people and moves into a forest area under duress.
Mr. Nwankwo further alleged that even while he indicated under his name that the signing was under duress that he was forced to cancel the form and indicate that he was the one that cancelled it by writing his name. According to him, all these took place after the GOC’s alleged meeting with Governor Martin Elechi.
In narrating his ordeal further, he alleged that he has received threatening calls from some soldiers since after objecting the signing of the document. He also stated that this has made him to relocate to an unknown destination.
The people of Ezza – Ezillo are blaming their ordeal on a number of factors. According to them, the decision of the governor to displace them from their present homes and farms is in line with the agenda of some forces in the state against the people of Ezza – Ezillo.
According to them, this agenda has been the agenda of systematic suppression, oppression conscious, deliberate, malicious denials and discrimination from any government. In paragraph 9 of their SOS message to the president the noted this: “Till date, no Ezza – Ezillo man has occupied even such a lovely position as a councilor of a ward. The Ezza- Ezillo have been disenfranchised in all elections conducted in Ishielu Local Government Area even when we have the larger population tham the ezillia and have contributed more to the massive development of the council area. Ezza-Ezillo community and villages were denied water and electricity even though we contributed monies as counterpart funds for their provision, just because the GM of Ebonyi State Rural electrifiation project is an Ezillo man. The settlement of a quarrel between two Ezzaman in the home of another Ezza man is viewed at as an affront to the authority of the Ezeogo of Ezillo. We cannot even settle ourselves except on the consent of the Ezeogo of ezillo who often imposes heavy fines on our people”, the people asked.
Other analysts blame the ordeal on the influence of some ezillo men on Ebonyi Politics. Some influential men from Ezillo in Ebonyi State Political positions are: Hon Reginald Onwe (Commissioner for Finance); Hon Gabriel Ede (Member,, Ishielu South State Constituency Hon Sunday Omeri (Commissioner, Ebonyi Independent electoral commission Chief David Egbu (permanent secretary, Ebonyi State Government); Engr. Princewill Oke (general Manager, Ebonyi State Rural Electrification Board); Chief Joseph Ugbo (Chairman Board of Internal revenue Ebonyi State.
Also, the people of Ezza – Ezillo are alleging conspiracy on the part of the Local Government Chairman, Barrister Ali Onwa. According to them, Barrister Ali allegedly obstructed their effort to earn an autonomous community status through a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Enugu in 2001. The said suit restrained the Ebonyi State Government from granting Ezza – Ezillo an autonomous community.
On the other hand, the Ezza – Ezillo people allege that the appointment of Eze Chibueze Agbo an Ngbo man provided him the opportunity to pay the Ezza people back for their long-standing acrimony. According to them, the Ezza – Ezillo people and the people of Ngbo have been in a long-standing face-off.
The co-inhabitation of the Ezillo and Ezza people dated back to between late 1920’s and early 1930’s. During the time in review, the Ezillo people invited the people of Ezza – Ezillo to assist them in their war against Ngbo neighbors who were threatening to annihilate tjem from the surface of the earth.
The assistance of the Ezza people provided the Ezillo people the avenue to win the war. On the account of the victory, a covenant was made between both parties for them to live together and derive the benefit of protecting the Ezillo people against the Ngbo people. The land allocated to the Ezza people in the manner that they provided a buffer between the Ezillo people and their warring neighbors, Ngbo people.
Paragraph 18 of the Governor’s statement seems to portray the treatment of ezza – Ezillo people as second-class citizens. “Let it be known to all and sundry that the now land into which Ezza- Ezillo people are moving does not in any way constitute on autonomous community. The Ezzas there will continue to be known as Ezza – Ezillo and shall not import into their new settlement the names of markets or communities of their ancestral abode. Cultural observances, especially with regard to new yam festivals, will continue to be observed within the custom and traditions of Ezillo community that is the overall umbrella of the entire place. There is for now, only one traditional ruler for Ezillo community into whose cabinet the Ezza – Ezilllo will appoint their representatives. The issue of autonomous community will be looked into only if and when the Government decided to review such demands throughout Ebonyi State, “ the statement concludes.
The question remains will president Yar’Adua listen to the plethora of appeals made by both counsel to the ezza – Ezillo people and the people themselves.
OKECHUKWU KESHI UKEGBU, A JOURNALIST WROTE IN THIS PIECE FROM ABA, ABIA STATE.
okechukeshi@yahoo.com 08037453029
