….An Open Letter to His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah
Your Excellency, we wish to once again commend your remarkable developmental strides in Enugu State. In a short time, you have excelled in all sectors of the state’s economy. The numerous roads, both completed and under construction, the reliable provision of water to Ndi Enugu, the establishment of smart schools across all political wards—this list goes on.
We at the Igbo Eze North Forum are not surprised by your accomplishments, as it was the pact you entered with Ndi Enugu that garnered you the massive votes during the elections.
It has also become imperative, Your Excellency, to bring to your attention, as a leader with a listening ear, the deplorable situation in Aguibeje Community and a proposed approach that can foster lasting peace and, by extension, human and infrastructural development in the area.
It is on record that Aguibeje Community has been in disarray, a situation that has culminated in a struggle for the Igweship in the community. To this day, the community lacks a traditional ruler, which continues to contribute to the growing list of issues affecting its people.
Since the creation of the state, Aguibeje Community has yet to produce any political leader, whether elected or appointed. Furthermore, no son or daughter of the community has ever held a high office in the council, nor has anyone been deemed worthy of selection, let alone failed at the polls or during screening.
No part of the community has ever witnessed a tarred road, despite being rich in mineral deposits and possessing fertile land. In fact, the community has the highest land mass after Uzo Uwani in the Enugu North senatorial zone. This extensive landmass, which stretches to Amaka in faraway Kogi State, has made the community attractive to Fulani herdsmen.
The expansive land, combined with the disenchantment among the youth, has led to the infiltration of the community by non-state actors. These issues, coupled with the persistent neglect by successive governments, have kept the community in crisis, despite its vast untapped mineral resources.
Your Excellency, it is upon these premises that we write to propose solutions to the tribulations facing Aguibeje Community. One key solution, Your Excellency, is to give the community a sense of belonging. They must be reassured that they are integral members of the state.
Another significant option is to consider the community in the forthcoming council election. While we do not have a specific candidate, our concern is that a member of the community be selected and supported in the upcoming election. This will not only extend the government’s presence to the neglected community but also unlock its vast untapped mineral deposits.
Focusing on Aguibeje, Your Excellency, is a pathway to lasting peace in both the community and Igbo Eze North at large. It should also be noted that our preference for this community is justified. For clarity, the immediate past council chairman hails from Igbo Eze North Constituency 2, so by virtue of zoning and the rotation of power, it is now Constituency 1, also known as Ozzi, that should produce the next council chairman.
Aguibeje is an Ozzi Community and thus qualifies to produce the next chairman of the council. While other communities have yet to produce a council chairman, they have had numerous sons and daughters occupy significant political positions.
Thank you, Your Excellency, as we look forward to a hitch-free council election in the state.
Dr. Paul Idoko writing from Abuja
