Clarion Call for Peace Championed by Women

Rebecca Ejifoma writes that the clarion call for peace in the South-east region was the thrust of the recent national press conference organised by the Credible Igbo Women Initiative

Since January this year, the Southeastern part of the country, with Imo State topping the list, has been bequeathed daily harassment, intimidation, extrajudicial killings of the youth, funerals, hysteria, trauma, displacement of people, public unrest, and endless nightmares, among others. These were the words of distraught mothers at a recent forum in Lagos.

While suing for peace, the women who spoke on the aegis of Credible Igbo Women Initiative, held a naational press conference tagged “Presentation of Facts in Pursuit of Peace in Igbo Land”. Condemning the incessant killings in the South-east, they charged the federal government to embrace dialogue and negotiations with the youth.

Held in Lagos, the conference was borne on the thrust of the tsunami that was unleashed on the region, especially Imo, after the death of a former presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak, in the state on May 30 this year.

Among them were representatives from states and factions including Abia, Anambra, Anioma Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Rivers, Ohaneze Ndigbo Lagos Chapter, Ohaneze Ndigbo South-west Chapter, and market men and women Association South-east and South-south. Collectively, they suggested to Buhari, the military, police, and other security agencies to stop the killings, withdraw the troops deployed in the South-east and dialogue with secessionist agitators in the region.

Call for Fairness
Noting that this unpleasant scenario has exhumed the ugly memories of the civil war that snatched her childhood and botched her innocence over 50 years ago, legendary singer Onyeka Onwenu, decried, “When we tune the TV stations, we see bodies. How did we get here? How do we get out of this? We want peace and we bring peace. Stop the killings. Stop it now.”

Clad in a black dress like a few others as a symbol, the One Love singer expressed, “We came here together with one thing in our mind: peace, love and equity. Something dreadful is happening in the South-east right now. I happen to come from Imo state and I know what people are passing through there. Please, federal government, stop the killings.

“Some people want to agitate for a referendum, it is their right. Some people want to cry out that they are being marginalised, it is their right. Listen to them. You may not agree with them, but they have the right to speak. We are begging, we are asking, please let’s sit down and talk about what is going on. Let’s call our people who are agitating, who are not happy with the situation and talk to them. Nigerian government let’s talk. Pull out the troops from Igboland.”

Notwithstanding, she clarified that Ndigbo (Igbo people) are not Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). “I know what people are going through. Don’t tag Ndigbo as IPOB. Put the issue of IPOB on one side. But don’t tag us as people who came out to destroy government properties. We are not that way. We want and need peace, progress. We are willing to work for it.”

The social activist, while addressing the aggrieved audience, reminded the presidency of those armed herdsmen. “What about those who carry guns on farms? It’s not fair. We are good people,” lamenting further, “It’s so difficult to keep quiet. Please stop killing our children. Living in Nigeria is becoming difficult indeed, hazardous. Let’s sit and talk with our young people. We are humans. We feel the pain”.

Onwenu soon reminisced about her life abroad. “I went to school in the US for 10 years. I wasn’t discriminated against for being an Igbo. I am an Igbo woman and I’m proud to be. How can I come to my own country and be discriminated against? You have reminded many of us why we mustn’t go back to where we are coming from. I lost my childhood as young as 13. I lost cousins, friends of my family. Who I am today is shaped by that experience – good or bad.”

“Today”, she declared, “I represent every woman that is in pain going through loss of their children. Why are we going through this again? Nigerians are hardworking and they excel everywhere in the world. Why can’t our children come back and excel here?”

In addressing the youth, she appealed “I want to use this opportunity to reach out to our young people to embrace dialogue. Please, come let’s talk. We will hear your griefs. We will stand with you, with Igbos and the good people of Nigeria. We are Igbos. If you don’t want to love us back as Igbos at least accept our right to live. We want to live. We want Nigerians to live together. We are blessed, talented. This is our Nigeria.”

Quickly on the heels of her speech, Nollywood veteran, Clarion Chukwurah, who couldn’t hold back her tears, reminded the president of why he is in the position of leadership. “I will talk to the president directly. You said you would speak to us in the language the Igbos will understand. I don’t think that’s why God put you there. When you return to your maker one day, what will you tell him? Please, we are all pleading, stop the killings now. We are women, mothers and sisters. Stop the killings,” she lamented.

Grievances
At the conference, Elvira Silas read the CIWI communique written and assented to by Igbo mothers in Nigeria against the unwarranted killings. “We condemn the notorious killings by the security operatives, and militarisation of Igboland and apparent threat by the FG to use maximum force in dealing with the problem of insecurity in the south east,” while calling on the federal government to convoke a security conclave forthwith and stop the bloodletting and remove the killer squad from Igboland. No more killings, no more brutality, no more harassment and intimidation of our children.

It continued: “The alarming level of insecurity in Igboland and in Nigeria, generally, has resulted in lives being wasted daily. Reckless spilling of the blood of our children by security operatives with impunity everyday, and the militarisation of Igboland and apparent threat by the FG to apply maximum force in dealing with the problem of insecurity in Igboland.”

CIWI further reminded the FG that the fact that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in section 14(2) states unequivocally that the security and welfare of the citizens shall be the primary function of the government.

The communique further read in part, “The FG is obliged to protect all the peoples of Nigeria including Igboland which is currently under heavy armed attack by air and land, daily. We are deeply saddened by the wanton destruction of public facilities and the targeted killings of security operatives and public servants by unknown gunmen and extend our condolences to their families and loved ones.”

The CIWI, in its statement, vehemently condemned the activities in Igboland by both known and unknown gunmen, arsonists, and brigands whose actions are clearly calculated to create an atmosphere of civil unrest. “For the avoidance of doubt, these are not our children, and they are not acting under the authority of Ndigbo.

“The sustained political instability in Igboland has resulted in the breakdown of law and order with the aberration of our innocent children being dragged out of their houses, cars and even pedestrian walks, captured, arbitrarily branded IPOB members by security forces and with impunity, often summarily executed without trial. Those captives that survive the ordeal are subsequently displayed to the press as proof of the security forces’ success,” it observed.

As read aloud, CIWI bemoaned that their children are thus daily dehumanised to the extent that concerned citizens such as Archbishop Obinna of Owerri Archdiocese have raised the alarm on unidentified corpses in the morgues. Such concerns, it emphasised, have been reiterated by corporate bodies including the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) which has decried the grossly overcrowded detention centres in Alaigbo.

“Our farmers have lost their means of livelihood and at times even their lives because of the invasion and destruction of their farms by herdsmen and their cattie due to the federal government’s stance on open grazing. This situation can no longer be tolerated.

“We note that the systematic neglect of our youths over the years through lack of social and financial incentives, scholarships, and skills acquisition support, have resulted in mass unemployment and distortion of the social fabric. We observe with deep concern that the market men and women continue to suffer greatly in the hands of security forces in Igboland with the result that markets and shops are often under lock and key and are constantly looted with impunity.”

Demands

In their demands, the women urged: “We call on the FG to take urgent action towards restoring our confidence in the security forces. Hence, we respectfully demand FG to convoke a security conclave forthwith. Stop the bloodletting. No more killings. No more brutality. No more harassment and intimidation of our children. Enough! Remove the killer squads from Igboland. Console and compensate the men and women whose children met their untimely death in the hands of the gunmen, both known, and unknown. Console and compensate widows and widowers whose spouses met their untimely end in like manner.”

They demanded that the FG provide financial and social incentives to enable “Our children start afresh. Provide our children with a level playing field. No more discrimination! No more favouritism! Embrace Diversity and inclusion sincerely, and thereby empower everyone with the possibility of achieving their fullest potential whether in the public or private sector, irrespective of tribe, creed or association”.

As mothers, Silas read on, we bear the brunt of avoidable loss of lives and property. We are broken and tired of burying our children. Therefore, we cry to the federal government to save our souls and let peace reign in our land again.

Unanimously, the women and mothers implored the president to hear their plea while enjoining artists across the country to rise and say no to the killings all in an effort to keep “their sons, brothers, cousins, husbands, and uncles alive and productive. “Peace for all. Prosperity for all. Coexistence for all,” they chorused.