I SEE BROTHERS FIGHTING: Ekoli - Nguzu Edda........By Mr. Eze Sampson.

Edda Egbebu nnu kaa! Before I begin to air my view and opinion concerning the topic
I chose to help us Nde Edda home and abroad to understand the true state of things at home concerning the two brothers Nguzu and Ekoli Edda. I would want to invoke some men who have lived, saw, fought and experienced war before their demise from this mother earth. Here are their words for the living like you and I;
“There are perhaps many causes worth dying for, but to me, certainly, there are none worth killing for.” – Albert Dietrich
“The more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war.” - Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
“Peace is the only battle worth waging” - Albert Camus
I just came back from the village where I had my Easter holiday,really it was fun and full of experiences. In one of the outings I saw a secondary school friend and classmate at Secondary Technical School, Ekoli/Nguzu Edda (Offia Etiti). We shared some memories about our school days especially playing in the school football team. Our school was dominated by indigenes of Nguzu and Ekoli Edda communities with people from Amaiyi, Letu, Libolo, Ogwuma, Ekata, Ugwufie, Nde Olughu, Amamini and others much less in number. Middle bush campus was our school, yes Nde Elu Edda school. Though once in a while we would have some other people from other states and communities like Afikpo, Ohafia, Cross River and Akwa Ibom, these were people whose parents and guardians were posted to these parts of Edda. Either as Teachers, Principals, Headmasters, Pastors or Reverends and more on service transfer. It was representing the school as well as being in the same team as brothers from the same clan and community with the same tongue. As if those days would not come to an end but today it has become history.

Apart from the things I have mentioned, something was very clear even to the blind as long as Secondary Technical School, Ekoli/Nguzu Edda was concerned; and that was the fact that it was the boundary between two brothers Nguzu Ekuma Eze and Ekoli Igbo Eze. A perceived reason behind the name Offia Etiti. Up until now Offia Etiti is still the reference name for the Secondary Technical School, Ekoli/Nguzu Edda .
Secondly, when I remember some of the products of that school I would sincerely concur that truly EDDA IS BLESSED. Middle Bush Campus is proud to have produced people like Hon. Stanley Okoro Emegha and Barr. Eni Uduma Chima who are fast becoming names in the politics of Ebonyi state, among others who are prominently representing Edda in their various fields of endeavor.
Sincerely each time I see some of these big brothers and sisters whom we met, saw or heard of that once put on the white shirt and Brown colored Shorts or trousers, I find it really difficult to address them as sirs, calling them DEE which was rather as a sign of respect for your own blood reminds me of the respect the school embedded in us. HEEUU OFIA ETITI May you live long.
Nde Edda, my stay in the village almost came to termination as the fun of my Easter celebration got soured at the findings about the communal relationship between these twoS brothers Ekoli and Nguzu Edda.

WHAT WERE THOSE FINDINGS?
If you are coming from Ekoli, the bush we used to know and refer as Ofia cashew in Egu bush has lost it forest beauty.
The bush has now been turned to farm lands. Not in any way bad probably the rightful owners want to plant on their lands as I thought in my mind, but that was not the story.
Rather that the people of Nguzu community have exceeded Offia Etiti coming close to Igboeze primary School in Ekoli Edda as part of their lands not minding the obviousness of where these properties were located.

THE COST OF WAR

Why do we forget so easily? The event that brought about the scar in the mind of Eddans, I say Edda because the three persons lost in that incident belong to three different families (IKWU) in Edda not just in Ekoli. Some of them have made Edda proud in different ways and times. One of them Dr. Pele Idika Aku, a former International footballer who was aspiring for the chairmanship of Afikpo South LGA once played in the National Football team way back when the now Super Eagles were referred as Green Eagles. A businessman of an International repute. Pele Idika Aku of blessed memory, remarks have it that he was of a peaceful specie among humans. A man that was a pride in Edda and beyond. How did I know this? During his burial, dignitaries visited Ekoli, the one very prominent among all was that of the then serving governor in a neighbouring state Abia in the person of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. Pele, a man that had friends in all parts of Edda including Nguzu. At the time of that incident, he was gearing up for the chairmanship of our dear local Government with the slogan “MEZIE EDDA”. He was killed at Nguzu Edda.
Another victim of that incident was a man who represented EDDA in traditional wrestling outside the soil of Edda in the person of Ajunwa Ndukwe. Mr. Ajunwa Ndukwe among other things was married to a beautiful daughter of Edda from Nguzu to be precise. And that woman was made a widow in her home town by her own brothers.
What do we say about the third head hanging at Isi Omaghuzo in Ekoli Edda? He was also handy in his craft and gifted too. Which in one way or another were also beneficial to if not Edda but to his immediate family. He had his own family, relatives all over Edda and he died yet at Nguzu Edda.
Before the incident that brought about their death at Nguzu, they had children who until now are still carrying the stigma of that particular hit, whose welfare no matter how people would try would be difficult to be compared to that of their fathers. Their wives whose widowhood started rather too early than expected and in a way that dumbs the voice of reasoning till tomorrow.
In these men, Edda lost a dignitary, Warrior and Brother.

DRUM OF WAR
There never was a good war, or a bad peace. When the rich wage war, it is the poor who die. War is like love, it always finds a way.
Before the people of Nguzu made the move cultivating in those areas of lands which is the bone of contention. It was not by accident.
1. It was planned.
2. It was not an action by children.
3. The community head or leaders of Nguzu Edda must be aware and if they were not aware by then what about now?
4. Their citizens abroad cannot also say they have not heard or not aware of that move.
Edda is Blessed and Nguzu has the candle even in our present day structure. Nguzu is the ancestral head of Edda, Nguzu Edda is one community in Edda that has two kings. As the head of Edda clan that is and will remain the royal dynasty of the highest kingdom in Edda and that we must respect as EZE EDDA KINGDOM. Like the other autonomous communities in Edda, Nguzu has its own king known and refer as EBIRI OF EBIRI. The current House Member representing the constituency where both communities fall in is from Nguzu Edda. One of the Senior Special Advisers to the Governor is also from Nguzu.
In my humble opinion I believe the presence of these reputable individuals will not just stop this for now but to foster peace and a lasting solution to any crisis like this communal dispute because Peace is a full time job. Peace, like war, must be waged.
I will continue but just like the issue on ground needs an ardent attention, the followings questions as well need urgent answers before it is too late. So that the world will hear and believe that Ekoli and Nguzu are still brothers;
1.If Secondary Technical School Ekoli/Nguzu Edda is not the boundary of these communities why is it that school is known by the name Ofia Etiti?
2. Why are the two kings in Nguzu keeping quite over the actions of the people of Nguzu?
3.Because we are acting based on what we were told, Is there no truth we need to be told about this dispute?
4. Wars and battles are sponsored by the people and organizations that will come in defense of their people where are they now or has the fight not started?
5. Could it also be that they already know Ekoli cannot do anything?
6. And if they(Ekoli) cannot do anything is that a cogent reason to trample on them?
7. Why is Nguzu always looking for trouble in Ekoli?
What we fail to know is that after that incident that claimed three lives from Ekoli at Nguzu the relationship between these communities has lost it cordiality though some people still pretend but this is the hard truth. And if at this time, serious check is not on ground to stop further encroachment and rather find a lasting solution we will be heading for the worst. And like one of our adages will say: Obughi nne onye ani da ewu nri ogere.
If you tell the people that lost their lives in the previous incident hours before that move that they were heading to their end here on earth in that journey, they probably will tell you that nobody can kill them yet where are they now? All dead. Because they probably were not seeing anybody. This same scene will play out again and nobody knows who will be the next victim, whose father or children will be next and where will be the battle field.
It has started again, like the rain the sky is getting cloudy like war it is raging. Nguzu has planted their seeds, what are they looking for? War!
Even against the injunction of the court yet they are still farming in those portions of land what are they looking for? War!
As the war continuous to rage in the presence of the rich, poor, educated, illiterates, strong and weak. If non plays it part now when it rains, yes, it will be heavy on the poor but the jeeps of the rich must surely feel the flood.
Edda Egbebu yara Nde Edda Okigbo my opinion is for peace and we must live in peace with the help of every loving Edda man or woman.
I do believe that this my candid opinion will give us reasons to choose peace against war. Nuu kaa!
I See Brothers Fighting: Ekoli - Nguzu Edda.

Adopted from WWW.eddamagazine.blogspot.com