The Most Fitting Way To Express Gratitude Was To Align Myself With Nwifuru For Restoring Peace In Effium/Alioma Communities-Bar . Abara
By Alex Odeh
Former Special Assistant on Finance, Higher Education, and Special Projects to former governors of Ebonyi State, Barr. Nnabuife Abara, has said that the most appropriate way for him to express gratitude to Governor Francis Nwifuru for restoring peace in Alioma/Effium Communities in Ohaukwu Local Government Area, was to align himself with the Governor.
He disclosed this during an exclusive interview with journalists in Abakaliki, while recounting the harrowing experiences of the five-year conflict that besieged Effium community in Ohaukwu LGA, asserting that the strife set the area back by “50 years or even more.”
He implored the inhabitants of Effium and Alioma communities in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State to embrace the responsibility of perpetuating the peace in the once tumultuous region.
Barr. Nnabuife Abara, a former Coordinator of Effium Development Centre, characterized the prevailing atmosphere in Effium as “tranquil, harmonious, and gradually recuperating.”
He attributed the community’s remarkable revival to the “determination and nearly miraculous commitment” of the current Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru.
According to him, the governor successfully reinstated stability to a conflict many deemed irreparable.
“How he accomplished it, I cannot fathom. It was as if he proclaimed, ‘Let there be peace,’ and peace materialized,” the legal practitioner remarked.
Abara lamented that the crisis obliterated lives, properties, livelihoods, and the once-thriving socio-economic framework of Effium community, following the violent confrontation between the Effium and Ezza-Effium peoples.
He noted that the community—previously a pivotal economic hub and the agricultural backbone of the Southeast—was utterly incapacitated by the conflict.
“We lost everything, including lives, property, and the allure of the locale. The extent of the devastation is incalculable,” he stated, adding that the ruinous impact reverberated throughout the region, leading to sharp increases in the prices of staple foods such as garri.
He disclosed that the government is presently delineating community boundaries and preparing for the resettlement of displaced individuals, including himself.
“Everyone is displaced. I have nowhere to return,” he expressed, conveying optimism that the governor will facilitate the populace’s safe and timely reintegration once the technical groundwork is finalized.
Abara emphasized that although the government and stakeholders played instrumental roles in quelling the violence, the onus now resides with the populace to uphold the peace.
“We are convening, engaging, and ensuring that such occurrences are never repeated. Peace is invaluable,” he asserted.
The former PDP chieftain also revealed his defection to the APC as a gesture of appreciation to Governor Nwifuru for restoring tranquility.
“The most fitting way to express gratitude was to align myself with him. Peace is the paramount achievement any government can bestow,” he remarked, adding that all other forms of development are subordinate to peace.
Abara fervently declared his support for the governor’s bid for a second term, contending that Ebonyi State stands to gain from continuity.
“If he accomplished all this within two to three years, envision what he could achieve in the next five or six. Everyone is rallying behind him—including myself, my family, and allies,” he stated.
He urged all stakeholders to embrace equity, justice, and unity, underscoring that sustainable development is unattainable without peace.
“You cannot construct something upon nothing. Peace is the foundation for every aspiration,” he concluded.
