Ette, a community on the border between Enugu and Kogi states, has known little peace over an extended period of existence; no thanks to recurring intra-ethnic violence within the area.
Over the years, tensions in the community have brewed, but the community in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, held on, until the first ripples came to the surface in 2012, when rampaging youths invaded the community, destroying property worth millions of naira, unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens.
The community which used to be a beehive of activities, particularly on its market days, where Igbo, Igala and Idoma traders, as well as others from neighbouring villages, bring their farm produce to sell and, at the same time, exchange banters, lost its ease, as most of the Igbo-speaking folk abandoned their homes for neighboring villages, for fear of being maimed by the rampaging group.
In January 2011, the agitating young people, who have been angling to join Kogi State, refused to allow the registration of voters in Ette. The group registered and voted at Ogugu (Kogi State) while those who could evade their roadblock went to register and eventually voted at Umuopu and Umuogbo-Agu (Enugu State). In June 2011, they expelled all the staff of the Local Government Development Centre at Ette and locked up the centre. They also expelled the staff of the magistrate court in the same location and locked up the facility after making an attempt on the life of the Chief Magistrate who was shot while in his official vehicle.
Within the same year, 2011, the young people also rejected the treated mosquito nets as well as their share of fertiliser that were to be sent free of charge, through Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area and stopped the vaccination exercise there.
In January 2012, they locked up the community medical centre while expelling all the staff. Armed with guns and machetes; on February 6, 2012, they expelled all the teachers and staff of all the public primary and secondary schools in Ette, in an effort to shut down all government facilities and erase everything connected to Enugu State in the community.
These actions of a section of the young people of Ette, caused the construction of a road project passing through the locale by mid-March 2012 to stop at Umuopu /Ette boundary. Not just that; state road and educational projects for the community were also stalled. Still, in May 2012, the youths blocked access to the primary school and church premises, sent the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) packing and destroyed household properties, including a filling station.
However, with the coming of the administration of Governor Ugwuanyi and its community peace project, a new dawn of light, peace and communal oneness has continued to shine on the community which has turned a new leaf. The move by Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration has given birth to a new generation of Ette people, one who will support the administration of the governor and his move to bring peace. The new generation of Ette people in Nsukka land believe in Gov. Ugwuanyi’s peace project which has ushered in uncommon progress, prosperity and tranquility in Enugu State.
The new generation of Ette people has resolved to support the present administration as shown recently, during the activities preceding the 2019 general elections, when the people of the opposition decamped and embraced PDP in a campaign rally hosted by Comr. Abah Joe Idenyi in support of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s re-election and that of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants.
Comr. Idenyi’s efforts, in a recent event to unite the people of Ette and to show them that the state government is with them in their search for peace was held at the square in the locale, shortly before the guber election in the state.
Through this event, the people declared their support for the administration of Ugwuanyi, pledged to abide by the law and assured that they would give their bit to ensure that the states and the locality knows nothing but peace, from thenceforth.
Now that Ugwuanyi has won the election and was sworn-in for second term as governor, he has defined a clear agenda to ensure that peace returns to the troubled area and the young people, rather than dedicate their time and strength to wrecking havocs and causing mayhem, they should get new skills, contribute their quota to community development, be examples to younger ones and make their parents, community, the state and the nation proud.
Comr. Abah Joe Idenyi, is a young, vibrant and committed youth leader who hailed from Ette community, he made it to the limelight following his many activities in support of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration and the Peoples Democratic Party. He is fervid advocate of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s exemplarily leadership style which has birthed a new Ette and that the new generation of Ette will continue to support the administration of the Governor and his moves afterwards.
