The search for the return of permanent peace to Evwreni town in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta state, continued at the weekend as hundreds of sons and daughters of the kingdom converged at the community town hall to further discuss ways upon which the warring factions can lay down their arms and embrace love for one another.
The peace meeting, attended by a mammoth crowd of indigenes, including men and women, young and the elderly, was at the instance of the Ovie of the kingdom, HRM Oghenekevwe Kumane Eruvwedede III, in collaboration with the Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Special Duties, Hon Samuel Mariere with the consent of some other stakeholders from far and near.
The conveners of the meeting and a good number of those who spoke were emphatic on the fact that for over two years now, peace had eluded the Evwreni community with no thanks to few sundry issues that pushed brothers to take up arms against one another.
Painful enough is that the said Evwreni was until recent times, so famous as a community that had produced great men and women of valour among communities in the defunct Midwestern State as many known personalities in several fields of human endeavours were from Evwreni.
It was sad therefore to observe that issues such as the setting up of community vigilante out-fit, Youth Wing elections and surveillance contracts for an oil firm could tear the people apart to the extent of taking arms against one another with record of deaths, and destruction of valuable properties.
The long walk for an amicable end to the problem took the Evwreni Crisis Resolution and Peace Committee, led by a foremost business mogul, politician and an Indigene of the town, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor to the Government House, Asaba to seek an audience with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, where they appealed for the setting up of a Judicial Panel of Enquiry to look into the remote and immediate causes of the crisis.
The Ovie of the kingdom, Oghenekevwe Kumane Eruvwedede III, in his emotion-laden speech at the weekend meeting in Evwreni, expressed optimism that the state government would act accordingly, saying that no king would be happy to be ruling a kingdom that is embroiled in crisis.
Stressing that the way forward is to forgive one another, the Monarch regretted the crisis and disclosed that some committees have been raised to reactivate the Olorogun O’tega Emerhor led committee and to meet with aggrieved subjects to appeal to them to embrace peace and unity.
Addressing the large crowd, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Hon Samuel Mariere, said the Olorogun O’tega Emerhor led committee had been working tirelessly to achieve the return of permanent peace to Evwreni kingdom, saying that there was the need to step up further efforts towards the timely realisation of the set goal.
Hon Mariere disclosed that the meeting was conveyed to open up more discussions on issues of common destiny and the need to end the over two years crisis that had retarded development and harmonious coexistence amongst the people.
The former Lawmaker stated that he never supported the crisis or ever bought arms for anyone, saying that his continued intervention was to ensure peace, respect for rule of law and constituted authority in Evwreni, even as he passionately appealed to aggrieved individuals to forgive one another and embrace peace.
The Special Adviser to the Governor stressed the need for all warring groups to drop their arms and allow the police to take charge of the security of the town, saying that the community cannot afford further deaths and destruction of properties.
Hon Mariere said all stakeholders must come together in love and unity to restore the lost glory of Evwreni kingdom.
The Secretary of the Evwreni Vigilante outfit, Mr Hitlar commended the coming together of the people to seek ways forward and assured that his group was ready to lay down their arms and urged the law enforcement agencies to also ensure that the other faction to the crisis do same.
Others who spoke acknowledged the fact that every true son and daughter of Evwreni would have been tired of the crisis and appealed to all to allow peace to reign in the community.
They commended the large turnout at the meeting, which they alluded to the fact that the people were earnestly and eagerly looking forward to the return of permanent peace to the kingdom.
They prayed to God to take over the affairs of the kingdom as they acknowledged His supremacy over all things, stressing that the desired peace in Evwreni was near.
