One-Owukpa: Group relations dynamics; the subterranean and unconscious issues below the table by Boniface Apochi

1. Following the recommendations made under the auspices of One-Owukpa by the National Leader of Owukpa, Chief Matthias Abutu, his Deputy, DCP Peter Okoh (Rtd) and my humble self, different comments, perspectives and points of view have been expressed by different stakeholders or sons and daughters of Owukpa.

2. I consider it necessary to address some of the issues raised by the different stakeholders and commentators. I do so for myself and not on behalf of the signatories to One-Owukpa proposals. It is also to share some contexts in the hope that we may be able to build consensus.

3. Permit me to emphasise that I’m persuaded that:

i. There will be a day of judgement when God Almighty will ask each of us to give account of our Iives on earth.

ii. Our intentions and actions or inactions including refusal or neglect to do good are not hidden from God.

iii. The Time, Talents and Treasures given to us by God should be used to promote justice, equity, peace, unity and development everywhere we find ourselves because we will give account to God.

4. The recommendations in One-Owukpa letter dated June 18, 2020 are only recommendations to the people of Owukpa.

5. The recommendations are necessitated by pending disputes between Ehaje and Itabono; and between Ai-Ogwuchekwo and the rest of Owukpa. We therefore have disputes already and every son and daughter of Amuche Onomo has a responsibility to seek peaceful resolution of the disputes. The parties to the disputes and their various claims are clearly stated in One-Owukpa document and I wish to encourage every stakeholder and commentator to please read the document to understand the issues.

6. The signatories to One-Owukpa document have made their own recommendations which may or may not be wholly or partly acceptable to the disputants or parties.

7. I encourage all stakeholders and commentators to make specific recommendations on how they want the disputants to resolve their disputes. That is an obligation that every son and daughter of Owukpa owes God and Owukpa. This is an obligation that should not be avoided or abdicated.

Criticisms of the recommendations in One-Owukpa document should be encouraged but no one should stop at criticism without making specific recommendations for resolving the conflicts.

8. There have been disputes at different times in the past and they have not abated. In some contributions and comments, examples were given of such disputes and rivalry that don’t promote peace and unity in Owukpa. Let me also give some examples:

i. My first example is the location of Owukpa Unity Centre which was in dispute for many years until ODA Exco, the National Leaders and our Traditional Rulers resolved that the government recognised headquarters of Owukpa is not being relocated but the boundaries are being widened or extended to include the current location of the Unity Centre. This led to the dedication and commissioning of the Unity Centre in 2018. This was made possible by the efforts of different stakeholders.

ii. The second example is Akatekwe Day which was aborted over 25 years ago but held eventually in 2018. It was aborted over 25 years ago because of Itabono-Ehaje rivalry over rotation of Owukpa Chieftancy Stool among 6 clans of Owukpa instead of Itabono and Ehaje settlements. This would have led to violence if not for the efforts of different stakeholders. Similar efforts by stakeholders made 2018 Akatekwe Day a reality. The dispute and unhealthy rivalry is therefore not new.

iii. My third example is the installation or celebration of HRH Chief Emmanuel Ode as Onomo of Owukpa. The ceremony was held in Ipole Owukpa because of conflict between Itabono and Ehaje over the location of the Unity Centre and the administrative headquarters of Owukpa. The ceremony would have been aborted if not for the efforts of different stakeholders.

I would like to borrow the words of Jacob Ejeh who said that those who say that there is no conflict are either unfamiliar with what is happening in Owukpa or they have other reasons. I wonder if such persons enjoy the conflicts and wish to sustain same.

9. The recommendations of One-Owukpa has not in any way tampered with the administrative governance of Owukpa. Owukpa has already been divided into 4 political or administrative wards by government. There is no suggestion to abolish the wards. Instead, it is my wish and desire that more wards are created within Owukpa. Rotation of political or elective positions should also rotate between the political wards in respect of positions that are not per ward. Such political and elective positions are different from the position or stool of traditional ruler.

10. We all have the responsibility to ensure that peace is sustained and there is no war. We should not wait for war to start before we make peace. When there is a dispute, we should do our best to resolve the dispute rather than wait for it to aggravate to a situation of war before we recommend solutions.

11. A major area of conflict or difference between Itabono and Ehaje is that Itabono wants Nwaba and Och’Idu to be recognised as children of Amuche Onomo and on equal status as Ogwuchekwo, Okpe, Agada, Agbo, Amuche and Oko. On the other hand, Ehaje doesn’t want Nwaba and Och’Idu to have the same status. This means that Ehaje recognises 6 while Itabono recognises the same 6 plus additional 2, making a total of 8.

The second major difference or dispute between Ehaje and Itabono is whether rotation of the stool of Traditional Ruler or District Head of Owukpa should continue on the basis of settlements or should be on the basis of clans/descendants.

The third dispute or grouse is that of Ai-Ogwuchekwo with or against the rest of Owukpa i.e. that they are not given their rightful place as first child or descendants.

These are the claims or agitations documented by the parties in their letters to ODA and clearly spelt out in One-Owukpa document.

12. What One-Owukpa seeks to achieve is to find a middle ground between the parties by recommending immediate recognition of 7 major clans instead of the 6 preferred by Ehaje and 8 preferred by Itabono; and rotation of the Chieftancy Stool among the 7 clans or group of descendants. In doing so, One-Owukpa took the following principled and systematic approach:

i. That a group of children of the 6 recognised descendants of Amuche Onomo may be given the same status as their father and uncles.

ii. The first to be proposed for such recognition is Nwaba. This is because (a) Okpe is the second son of Amuche Onomo (b) Nwaba is the first son of Okpe (c) Ogwuchekwo who is the first son of Amuche Onomo has agreed for the sake of peace and positive changes, that Okpe’s son may be so recognised. In return, Ogwuchekwo is to take their rightful place of seniority by producing the next traditional ruler of Owukpa; and (d) One-Owukpa is appealing to Agada, Agbo, Amuche and Oko to also accept the recognition of Okpe’s first son in return for achieving through consensus, the change that they desire instead of winner-loser approach.

iii. Och’Idu is to be recognised as descendants of Amuche Onomo through their recognition as children of Ogwuchekwo who are the eldest son of Amuche Onomo. This will end any insinuations or doubts about the status of Och’Idu. Again, the prior consent of Ai-Ogwuchekwo was obtained through their leaders.

iv. One-Owukpa proposed or recommended that the court should approve or sanction the resolutions that may be approved by the people of Owukpa as an effective, efficient and timely means of ensuring that such resolutions are not binding on only the people of Owukpa but also relevant government authorities. The position of District Head or Traditional Ruler of Owukpa is a government recognised position. Government is therefore a necessary stakeholder and party.

Such a legal process that is borne out of consensus would also avoid or minimise future disputes and give confidence to those who contend that similar arrangement in the past was not respected e.g. the maiden Akatekwe Day was aborted for the same reason.

The recommendations in One-Owukpa document were therefore not made arbitrarily but through a systematic approach. The process may not be perfect.

13. For those who are in doubts or who contest the genealogy or number of children or descendants recognised by Amuche Onomo as contained in One-Owukpa document, I humbly recommend to them, the book, Roots (Itarigba) written by an eminent son of Owukpa in the person of Chief Raymond Okpe. The Forward to that book was written by another eminent son of Owukpa known as Musa Omale. These are well known sons of Owukpa.

The positions contained in One-Owukpa document i.e. that Ehaje and Itabono are settlements and not 2 brothers or 2 children; and that 6 children or descendants were recognised by Amuche Onomo are all contained in that book. Any person that has contrary suggestions, views or records should please consult our elders.

14. Let me conclude by making an appeal to all stakeholders to seek the grace and fear of God to direct our thoughts, minds, actions and inactions in the pursuit of peace, justice, equity, inclusiveness, development, progress and positive changes.

Very recently, the Department of Defence in the United States of America took an unprecedented decision that would make the confederate flag to be pulled down at all military bases in US. The decision was on the basis that the flag doesn’t promote unity among Americans. The flag represents white superiority or supremacy. It had been flown in US for centuries but that has changed.

What will each of us do for Owukpa in the fear and with the grace of God?

What change(s) would we support or recommend?

What do we wish to sustain?

How do we achieve the objectives of peace, justice, equity, inclusiveness, development, progress and positive changes?

May God bless Owukpa!

Agada Boniface Apochi
Convnever, One-Owukpa
July 2020