“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” Matthew 5:9
“Peace”, according to the American English dictionary is simply “A state of tranquility, quiet and harmony. For instance, a state free from civil disturbance. It also defined peace as, “A state free of oppressive and unpleasant thoughts and emotions”.
Peace is a necessity for life and a requisite for any meaningful development of a society as destruction awaits a society without harmony, peace and cordial co-existence.
The position of peace even as defined by the English dictionary in any society is sacrosanct to the well being of the citizenry. It is on this not that the Holy Scripture in St. Matthew’s gospel chapter 5:9 says “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God”.
The Almighty God is the author of peace and lover of Concord, therefore its creatures must adhere to whatever that is peaceful in order to be associated with Him.
In the recent past, electioneering activities in Nigeria has been greeted with politically motivated violence to undo a particular group or political party. It is unacceptable, barbaric, and condemnable.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, Ph.d and his supporters were publicly stoned with sachets water during his presidential campaigns in the Northern Nigeria. Against ethics and norms of the office of the president, ex-governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State incited wars against Dr. Jonathan.
Rivers State was characterized with pockets of violence, killings and inflicted injuries, all motivated by politicians whose stock in trade is violence as it was obvious that they would lose that election.
It was indeed factual that about ninety percent (90%) of the twenty-three (23) local government areas in the state were greeted with one form of violence or the other orchestrated by perpetual election losers.
These are men who were opportuned to serve in different capacity in the state but have decided to work against the peace of the state occasioned on the fact that they have lost election to their opponents, thus vowed to make the state ungovernable, thank God they are not God.
This episode of Issues Abattoir on the need to curb the excesses of trouble formenters in Rivers State, equally centres around the Andoni Local Government Area where the indigenes must respect the biblical injunction “Thou shalt not kill” –Ex. 2013 and embrace the blessing of being peaceful as recorded in St. Matthew 5:9.
Killings, disrespect to both human and constitution of the land was witnessed in the state as those who considered their privileged position at the centre of governance intended to pursue, silenced and wipe out their perceived enemies since after the declaration of election results for the April 11th 2015 general elections.
Threat of death however, become so severe before, during and after the March 19th, 2016 re-run elections in the state because a particular political party wanted to clinch the entire seats of the state and National Assembly without minding the power of the electorate.
Before, during and after the March 19th, 2016 re-run election in Rivers State, the All Progressives Congress, boasted of her acquisition of powers as the Police, Soldiers, Money and INEC are their sole properties to win the election.
Without gainsaying, the threat was strong that without faith one could not even step out to cast his or her vote, since death was involved.
Aside from claiming some lives in other areas of the state, that of Tai Local Government claimed vehicles of Journalists on official assignment as well as left some of the journalists in critical conditions across hospitals and clinics in the state.
In Andoni Local Government Area, an average member of the All Progressives Congress was parading with the least of two officers of the Special Antic-Robbery Squad- SARS. What was the essence of using the SARS for the re-run elections, and the reply was to intimidate members and voters of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and others as to enhance their opportunity of either snatching the ballot boxes or rigging the polls.
Regardless of the fact that the elections did not hold in Andoni, the people had resisted all antics of the ruling APC in the area, who were courageous of rigging the polls through their imported SARS men.
Threat to human lives in Andoni and Rivers in general is an open invitation to anarchy, war, non development and disruption of activities therefore, must be nipped in the bud.
Andoni politicians are all indigenes of Obolo, hence must be conscious of the fact that any attempt to undermine peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship of all amount to desertion of their fathers’ land which would be unfortunate.
Now that the Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed July 30th, 2016 for conclusion of the March 19th, 2016 re-run elections in eight (8) local government areas, including Andoni, it is however, pertinent to call on the good people of Andoni to play the political game according to the laid down rules, to avoid unwanted situations, untimely deaths and sicknesses.
Precisely, on March 18th 2016, the election eve, the entire people of Isi-Ama community especially the aged were totally placed in a confused state when two officers of the SARS attached to an APC chieftain from the community opened fire in the community between the hours of 8.00-9.00 pm just to scare teaming PDP voters away from the community.
Indeed, some elderly men took ill to high blood pressure occasioned on the shooting by men of SARS without reason.
It would be recalled that some boys sponsored by same APC chieftain in that community Isi-Ama on 11th April, 2015 threatened the peace, shoot sporadically and went away with not less than 2 ballot boxes.
Until the recent past, Isi-Ama community remain one of the most peaceful communities even at elections but the entrance of one deceitful, selfish and all assuming man, whose stock in trade is leadership by force.
Other parts of Rivers State perhaps have such characters like that from Isi-Ama; no doubt men like the former ASA LGA chairman is being placed where he is by the law.
Criminals, formenter of trouble or volunteers trouble makers should realize that at their respective communities, what is needed is peaceful co-existence rather than acrimony, brotherliness in the stead of heresy, friendliness in the place of enmity and development rather than stagnation, and consider giving peace especially at this period of election a chance.
The so called notorious boys cannot on their own carry arms against anyone if not encouraged and empowered to do such by those leaders they see.
It therefore becomes a necessity for leaders of political parties especially in Andoni to also realize that Andoni is their father’s land, therefore cannot runaway from it by causing problems.
Most importantly, if anyone should threaten the peace of Andoni and runaway, would he be buried outside his or her home at death? So, when one rejects his father’s land when alive, the land would reject him at death, that is the implication either one believes it or not.
All Obolo sons and daughters should draw lessons from the misfortune that befall the Ngo community between 1990 and 1992, Unyengala versus Agana, Okoloile in 1990, Isi-Ama and Ataba in 2004 amongst others and consider the path of peace as the only option for all in Andoni local government area.
Issues Abattoir posits that should there be a community that needed peace most, such entity should be Andoni only for the overall development of the area.
If fomenting troubles is gainful in other areas, it is not in Andoni, that sums up the reason that mischievous and trouble makers must accept the only available option of peace to move Andoni forward.
There are those busy planning to foment trouble mainly by using tugs and cultists to over run electorates during the July 30th, election. All plans devoid of the norms to electoral processes are inimical to the growth and aspirations of the people, so must not be complemented. Killing the least one soul would smell doom for the area and cost its development. Every indigene should consider his or her importance to the building of Andoni and Rivers State as a necessity rather than plotting to end up in jail for life.
Mindful: when all are mindful of the socio-economic, political and cultural development of the state and local governments, oneself as the contact for such development, then is the realization of the existence of God’s creation.
It is however incumbent for the drivers of the political system to have a rethink of their immediate past while giving their supporters orders for anything and as well draw their conclusion of the possible future if their homes, communities are devastated.
The law enforcement agencies should brace up to the challenges of making peace a sustainable reality in the state and the various local governments.
All offenders of the rule and fomenters of trouble during and after the schedule re-run polls of July 30th should not only be apprehended but should be made to face the wrath of the law irrespective of any affiliation, to serve as a deterrent to others.
For the Andoni local government, the Caretaker Chairman had issued warnings to all trouble-makers to desist forth with or face the wrath of the law. It is the belief of Issues Abattoir that the Caretaker Chairman would keep to his words alongside the security agencies.
The time to check the incessant spate of crimes, criminality particularly as associated with electoral programmes is now. ###
With James Mgboineme
jamesthenewswriter@gmail.com.
