‘We Are Doing What We Can For Peace To Reign In Our Community’

We are doing what we can for peace to reign in our community, so says the Vice Chairman of the Isokpo Youth Association (IYA), Obibi Ogbaku, Imo State, Mr Christopher Ejiogu.

He stated this and more in an interview with The Eagle correspondent, on the sidelines of a recent kindred event recently below are details:.

Could you please give us a little background of yourself

My name is Mr Christopher Ejiogu also known as Nwatankafuka, , the outspoken child. I am the vice chairman of the Isokpo Youths Association

When was the association formed?

The association was formed 14 years ago. Mr Emeka Onwuzuruigbo was the first chairman. And he was in office for about nine years. He handed over to Mr Desmond Dike also known as SY, who took it by election. Unfortunately he was only on the seat for one year.The current chairman is by appointment not election, Mr Nnamdi Anyanwu.

Why is the current executive not by election?

During the previous chairmanship, there were issues with money,:and the community decided to set up a panel to look into the issues and appointed Mr Anyanwu to take over leadership of the Youths, to be assisted by my humble self.

Mr Ejiogu, urges government to bring amenities to the Obibi Ogbaku community

Generally, what are the responsibilities of the association to the community?

To take care of the affairs of the youth. And to also intervene when things go wrong, issues like fighting or misunderstanding.

READ ALSO: 5 Imo Clans Where Strangers Can’t Walk Alone This Season

When people fight, the youth look at the matter and give its judgement. The fellow guilty is penalised N5,000. That’s why I said that we are doing what we can for peace to reign.

We understand that there are many problems now involving the youths; from burglary to fighting, land dispute etc, how are you handling these?

Well, there are many problems. And you ‘know, you cannot stop crime but you can only control crime.

And we are doing everything to control the crime level in the community.

When we hear that there is a burglary case for example, we usually do not call in the police, the youth will go into it and anybody found guilty is penalised . We are doing what we can for peace to reign.

What are the major challenge facing your community?

The youth of this day have different characters and you can not stop them from showing such characters but we are trying our best to bring order.

The major challenge now is from land disputes. We are trying our best to resolve them, and the ones we are not able to handle, we push them to the Eze’s palace. But coming to family disputes, we are doing our best not to involve the government, we tackle it ourselves.

These land issues, where are they happening?

The major ones on hand now is at Egbelu, where we call uzoubi. Some unknown people went there and impersonated the land. They tampered with the landmarks and when our people go there, it becomes difficult to identify thier portions, and this has been bringing crisis.  However we are doing everything possible to settle it.

READ ALSO: If You Want A Good Wife, Come To Ogbaku This Yuletide

What is the most pressing need of the community now, possibly what it want the government to do for it

You can see our roads, they are not motorable. We are doing our best digging gutters as we are in the rainiy season now, so that if rain falls, the water can flow into the gutters. And this our road is a federal road, leading from the park to Agwa, down to Obokofia, Location, Egbema, Mmawe Ekwuru, Ahoada. If they can come and do it, it will help the entire Nigeria, not only the community.

Another thing is unemployment . An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Some of our youths are not employed. They try their possible best to put food on the table from their hustling.

If government can empower them, it will help to reduce crime.

Are there other important things that you would want to talk about?

Insecurity is too much here. Before, when we woke up in the morning, we hear of Abuja, Lagos, and other far places of kidnappers activities or gun men shooting, but now, in our community Obibi Ogbaku we are living in fear of unknown gunmen and other banditry activities.  we need government to come and do something about it.