At contact tour: Manyu SDO hails unity of Eyumojock elite, urges population to embrace peace.

He has urged the population of Eyumojock embrace peace and continue denouncing atrocities perpetrated by separatist fighters.

Awounfack was speaking in Eyumojock and Ekok in a two-day meet-the-people tour of Eyumojock Subdivision. 

The tour took place from Thursday July 18 to Friday July 19.

In his address, the SDO spoke on a wide range of issues including security, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence, school resumption among others. 

Hails collaboration of Eyumojock elite in peace building 

Speaking at the ceremonial grandstand in Eyumojock, Awounfack congratulated the elite for mobilisation under the steering committee led by Hon Teku Tanyi, Mayor Ntufam Ayamba Jacques Ita and a cross section of external elite of the Sub-division. 

“A contact tour is an important aspect in administration because it permits the administrative authority to know the environment he or she is called upon to administer, know the worries of the people so as to find solutions and better appreciate their welfare...," he said.

“The solution of some of the grievances of the population can be found locally while others can be forwarded to hierarchy for action to be taken,” the SDO said.

"Eyumojock is very strategic to Manyu Division and South West in general. This is because of its geo-strategic location which is open to the giant of Africa, Nigeria. It has rich natural resources like salt and biodiversity…they have to thank God, thank the Head of State for the confidence and give peace a chance so they can explore the benefits of the Bamenda Enugu Corridor passing through their Sub-division…," the SDO stated.

School resumption, security also under scrutiny. 

Despite the enormous contribution of the elite of the Subdivision and the efforts of the local administrative authority, the SDO said out of 24 secondary schools across the Subdivision, only three are functional. 

Meanwhile, out of the over 55 primary schools in the Subdivision only five are functional, making it difficult for children to go back to school. 

The SDO urged the population to send their children back to school next academic year and “shame the separatist fighters who have brought nothing than destruction” to them.

“The separatist fighters has nothing to offer because they live in an imaginary world, so people should not fail prey again to their tactics and rather give peace a chance,” he added. 

The SDO also donated 50 umbrellas, torches, soap, and some food items to strengthen the vigilante as they continue to collaborate with the forces of law and order to end the bloodshed in the subdivision. The donation, the SDO said, cost about 1 million FCFA

Eyumojock chiefs confer prestigious Sesseku title on SDO 

Meanwhile, as a way of thanking the SDO for choosing to come to Eyumojock and visit the border locality of Ekok in his second lap of his tour of Manyu, the SDO was raised to the rank of Iyamba Ntui Mbe meaning leader of Sessekus in the prestigious Manyu Ekpe society. 

The SDO thanked the chiefs for the title and said he will be proud to sit amongst his peers of the Ekpe society.

Elite recount achievement, challenges of the area

Speaking earlier, the spokesperson of the elite of Eyumojock Subdivision and head of the steering committee, Hon Teku Tanyi, called youth who are in the bushed to drop down their weapons and follow the path of peace offered by the President of the Republic. 

The elite, through their spokesperson, urge the Senior Divisional Officer to look into abandoned projects in Eyumojock, some of which have been fully funded but not executed, the illegal sales of land by unscrupulous individuals, illegal exploitation of timber and other forest products, the opening of a farm-to-market road that will cut across most villages in the Subdivision and open up economic activities, amongst others things. 

The spokesperson also promised smooth collaboration with the administrative authority for the growth of the municipality. 

He called for a centre for identification to help establish birth certificates, ID cards of the over 80,000 inhabitants spread across 65 villages. 

He also pleaded for provision of water and electricity which remain absent in most of the villages since the start of the crisis.

Mayor hail SDO for the historic visit 

On his part, the Mayor of Eyumojock, who doubles as Chief of Eyumojock town, Chief Ntufam Ayamba Jacques Ita, thanked the SDO for coming to Eyumojock for first time in 10 years since an SDO officially visited the Subdivision. 

The mayor continued that they are bless with natural resources Like Timber, cocoa palm and the natural resources like Lake Ejagham with strong traditional institutions. 

The mayor called on the population to register massively on the electoral register to better participate in future elections and also desist from illegal sale of the forest and community land, illegal exploitation of timber which pose a serious threat to the ecosystem. 

He thanked the population for their massive attendance in the two-day event in both Ekok and Eyumojock, which, he said, is telling of their attachment to state institutions.

The visit ended up with a working session with the chiefs, elite and economic operators in the area. 

With a population of over 80,000 inhabitants spread in about 3,432 square kilometres, Eyumojock is made up of 65 villages divided into three clans.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3177 of Tuesday July 23, 2024