In 2015, shortly before the presidential and National Assembly elections, there was upsurge of violence in Anyigba community leading to burning of houses, businesses and many other valuable properties worth millions of Nigeria in the name of support for various candidates of the two major political parties, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
The violence became so wild that it grew wings to even the polling units in Anyigba and it environs.
As leaders of the largest youth organization in Anyigba community, the Anyigba Youths Clubs President Forum, it became a thing of concern for us knowing that one of our cardinal objectives is to bring about peace and development to Anyigba community and the fact that it is the youths that are involved in ALL of this violence activities.
We came up with the idea of calling for a peace meeting between the key stakeholders in the election who we knew can talk to their supporters to calm the tension. So we led a delegation to the Palace of Ogohi-Onu Anyigba (Dooga), as the father of all, and shared our plan with him. To the glory of God he was also going to invite this key stakeholders to discuss same peace with them so we would be part of the meeting that day.
Few days to the general election the meeting was called, we led a delegation of more than one thousand Youths to do a peace advocacy procession on the streets with placards and sound system calling for peace in Anyigba community and the need to allow economic activities to go on smoothly without hindrances.
At the stakeholders meeting, Haliru Ali Abdul who was the SA on MDGs to the governor of Kogi state and the Eye of the state government in Anyigba then was invited, Hon Ogwu Alhassan who was the PDP House of Assembly candidate was invited, Hon Hassan Abdullahi Baiwa who was the House of Assembly candidate for APC was invited, Benjamin Ikani Okolo who was the House of Reps candidate for APC was invited, officials of both PDP and APC were also invited to witness the meeting.
After the indoor meeting held in the palace where myself and Abdullahi Unekwuojo Musa represented Anyigba Youths at the meeting and they signed a verbal accord to maintain peace henceforth, we all came outside the palace to address the crowd, there I read an address to the aspirants jostling for the position and the stakeholders on behalf of the youths. In the address, we warned them to stop using the Youths as political thugs and allow peace to reign in Anyigba community, we admonished them to live and allow others to live thereby keeping the community peaceful for businesses to thrive.
They promised there and then that they will talk to their supporters to calm down, become responsible citizens and bring about peace to the community.
After that, the commissioner of Police and the DSS Chief of the Kogi State commands held two separate meetings with the candidates and the stakeholders in the palace where myself and Unekwuojo Musa were involved as youth representatives. They gave them thorough warning and threatened to deal with anyone found in the act of violence outrightly. They also mandated us to advise the youths not to make themselves available for used as agents of destruction.
From there we took a walk to all the 27 units of Anyigba wards telling them not to make themselves available for destruction and violence.
After this epoch meetings, Peace relatively returned to Anyigba and the election went without blood shed and destruction afterwards.
That was the role we played in 2015 and didn’t just sit down to lament on social media and leave it there, we took a bold steps and it achieved the desired results.
When Comrade Realone Emeje proposed a Peace Accord to curb the upsurge of violence we’ve had in recent time, I saw it as a good call that can yield positive result if followed to the logical point where the warring houses can reach a compromise.
We gain nothing by bringing violence to a business thriving Anyigba community, but we can gain everything by ensuring peace reigns.
– Comrade Maji Isah writes from Anyigba, Kogi state.
