₦airaland Forum

Violence Continues in Nkerehi

*Violence Over Name Change

By Emeka Osondu

( Tuesday, June 5, 2007 )

- Send Comments -
To Author  Masterweb

"He added that those seeking to change the name of the community may have found they have different ancestral background other than Nkerehi." -Osondu


Tension has heightened in the troubled Nkerehi town of Orumba South Local government area in Anambra state after a violent clash resulting from the sudden change of the town’s name to Umuchukwu. Subsequently, the clash led to wanton destruction of property worth millions of Naira.

Scores of people sustained serious injuries. Ten are still recuperating in various hospital in the area following machete cuts inflicted on them during the attack by hoodlums suspected to be supporters of one prominent sons of the community said to be behind what some members of the community described as “taboo” in changing the ancestral name of the town.

Trouble started when the said rich and prominent son of the community, Dr Godwin Maduka, currently based in the United States of America, allegedly destroyed the ancestral market, shrines and public parks, as well as forcefully acquired community and individual parcels of land for building a monastery for one of the Christian churches in the area.

Reports said what irked the community most was that Maduka solely changed the name of the town from Nkerehi to Umuchukwu without consent and approval of the elders, town union and community leaders, who are all stakeholders in matters concerning the community and the people.

It was said that Dr. Maduka moved further and erected a sign-post to that effect and subsequently followed up with electronic media announcement over the name change.

Reporters who visited the town witnessed violent confrontations when members of the community attempted to put back an "Nkerehi" sign-post, but were thoroughly beaten up and chased away by heavily armed thugs said to be on Maduka’s payroll.

Surprisingly, police patrol team stationed along the Owere-Ezukala-Nkerehi junction leading into the town appeared to have been compromised as they subtly gave the thugs cover, which aided them in further attacking people and vandalizing their homes.

Victims of the crisis vowed never to bow to the change of their ancestral name, despite intimidations, harassment and arrest. Ben Onwu, one of the youth leaders in the community who led the aborted exercise of reposting "Nkerehi" sign-post, said they have resolved to repost Nkerehi sign-post alongside Dr. Maduka’s Umuchukwu sign-post. This Onwu explained would allow all feuding sides relevance until the matter is resolved.

The youth leader said as far as Nkerehi community was concerned, Umuchukwu has no existence. He added that those seeking to change the name of the community may have found they have different ancestral background other than Nkerehi.

Mr. Joseph Anulobi, Nkerehi Progressive Union Secretary-General and one of the victims of the recent mayhem in the community, when interviewed insisted there was no decision at any of the Union's meetings to change Nkerehi's name. He said that those claiming such a decision by Nkerehi Progressive Union were merely “gliding the truth” and trying to impose their whims on the people.

Mr. Ezekiel Onwumeremba, a 67-year-old indigene of the community and also a victim of Maduka’s onslaught, said his perceived offence was that he had expressed surprise when he saw the new sign-post on returning to the town from the hospital where he went to visit his hospitalized son. According to him, he was roped in as an accomplice in a “phantom kidnap” of Igwe Michael Ukegbu, the traditional ruler of the community and a maternal uncle to Maduka, who later resurfaced the next day in his palace.

His words, "Our common market has been demolished, just as we were arrested and brutalized by Maduka with the aid of his police guards. He has gagged the truth in the town by buying over some of the people with money. I have so often told him to consult with the people whenever he wants to do anything for them. But he would not listen. Maduka is autocratic on us. But no matter how he try to deplete us, the few persons that remain will not bend. But what he did, he has actually desecrated the land."

Nevertheless, the traditional ruler, Igwe Ukegbu insists that the decision to change Nkerehi to Umuchukwu was unanimous because the name Nkerehi had been brining bad luck to the people, being associated in the past with fetish practices. He maintained that since the name was changed, one of their sons had come back to develop the community by providing basic amenities and building churches for the people.

Meanwhile six members of the community have been charged to the Umunze Magistrate court for attempted kidnap of Igwe Ukegbu. As the public awaits further developments, peace and tranquility can only return to the community if the American-returnee son of the land bends to respect the wishes of the community.

Some believe no culture is static, seeing nothing wrong in the name change of the community for development and progress. Even if this is true, must be done with the approval of the community and not through intimidation.
http://www.africamasterweb.com/AdSense/NigerianNkerehiViolenceContinues.html

He' smiling to bank with his millions, while most of us with our Queen's English can barely afford to have 3 meals a day, "In this world, money is how we score"

What has speaking of good English got do with his talent? Do Chinese and Russians speak English?

If English were not America's first language, most of these celebrities would not be able to speak it . Have they been prosecuted for saying: you is, you was, we was, yes I is, I fena?

That guy shd not go there and further dent the image of our dear nation.

Inshort am embarking on a fasting and prayer! That he shd not fuckup when he gets there.

Brethren let's pray Grin

If folks like you could do 10% of what he has done to help Nigeria's image, Naija would be in a better place.

javalove@
olodo ni e. . .what do you know about middle eastern economy? they operate interest free banks. . .check their monetary policies if u love to do researches. . .

You are just calling people names, u  are intellectually bereft to show us how Islamic banking has transformed Islamic economies like   UAE, Qatar,  and Kuwait. Their economies are modeled after western economies. If Islamic banking is the best form of economic tool to prosperity, why is it that oil-rich Arab countries have investment companies that are ONLY investing in interest bearing companies? Show me a man who has been saved by Islamic banking, and I will show you millions of people that have been saved by modern banking that has been embraced by most economies in Arab world. Why doesn’t SLS copy Mohammad Yunus' banking model that targets the poor?

Which kan development? Why didnt Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and some Arabian countries use it as their economic blueprint? Why didnt people like Prince Al-Waleed bin Tala  invest in those banks instead of Citigroup? Why did Qatar invest in  London Stock Exchange (15% stake), Sainsbury (27% stake)? Dubai invested in Nasdaq OMX Group Inc.  Why do these oil rich gulf countries have sovereign wealth funds that are scouting for interest bearing investments all over the world?

Buhari is another OBJ waiting to happen. He truncated  a democratically elected government. Was fingered in corruption.  Benefited from Abacha's corruption. He refused to appear before Justice Oputa panel and presidential debate, He comes off as a selfish person who wants to ascend to power at all costs. If he is this less corrupt and selfless, how come he  hasnt groomed leaders who  are like him? Yar'dua and Atiku are all products of Musa Yar'dua movement. Where is Buhari's political machinery that would restore Nigeria to normalcy as folks have claimed?

another point to remember: living begets life. a dead woman doesnt give birth, so think of your life first before your pregnancy,

Points to remember: Most guys don’t come into a relationship thinking I'd to like her to be my wife. They always to test-drive the relationships until they are comfortable to settle down. Marriage is less of a fascination to most bachelors than most bachelorettes, because most men believe that they will get married someday, but most women have self imposed datelines on when to get married…

u hold it together  and u  dont need any man to abuse u ; so what does this guy do differently that has enslaved you to him? Another question if you knew that an airplane you were about  board  would crash,  would you still hop on the airplane? This craziness is bound to fail from the onset.

people spend less in villages because they produce most of what they eat by themselves.if a full chicken cost #1200 in mr biggs,the same man in the

village that rears chicken can also afford to eat a full chicken if he likes

This has not been my expedience. A live chicken raised by a village farmer this Xmas sold for N1600 while a fully cooked chicken cost about N1800 at some food outlets in big in cities across Naija. So a villager who earns less is paying more given that a live chicken costs almost the same as a fully cooked one. Not everyone in the village is a farmer who is able to feed his/her family, many of them are poor, processed and finished goods are much more expensive in the village, a bag of rice is more expensive in the village; kerosene is more expensive than petrol- feeding might be cheaper, but the quality of food is a no match to what u might get in cities,

adequate test drive should be done, because trade ins are not allowed. u buy it, you own it forever,

how does ur neighbor in village pay for food? i guess there are mr biggs and chicken republic outlets in your village as well? about 60% of Nigerians still live in villages

can you buy a car without a test drive?

Tunisians in Tunisia and Egyptians in Egypt started the protests, Why do Nigerians in Nigeria want to be led and spoon-fed all the time?

You think everyone is so obsessed with materialism that they should not safeguard the moral fibre of society

This argument is absurd in every sense. So U think that most Ugandans are poor by choice? U think that most Ugandans do want to go to school; have electricity; have access to affordable shelter and most of all live in a peaceful environment ? Did it not occur to you that having access to education which you are guilty of is materialism? Having a computer is also materialism let alone Internet. We thought that Chinese and Russian cultures abhorred ‘materialism” until they started minting millionaires and billionaires.
Back to moral fibre, what is so African or Ugandan about leaders who steal their country’s resources and turn them into personal wealth for oppression? What's their value on materialism? The same African value that says we should be our brother's keep not looters or oppressors,
Same folks who are speaking up against homosexuality in defense of their values are not willing to speak against corruption which attacks all forms of humanness and society,

Anyway it is really none of your business if the Ugandans are rich or poor. They do have an inalienable right to totally repudiate this perverted practice from their lands.
Any brainwashed activist that does not like that should just take a walk.


What a moronic display of idiocy,  they do have an  inalienable right to repudiate a sexual lifestyle, but dont  have the same right to fight for economic equality. Their president has been in for over 25yrs and he appointed his wife as as  a cabinet minister.

It's my business to question their economic status, since we are talking about morality. Why  would you not go against someone who has made your life poor and choose to go against someone whose lifestyle doesn't in any way hurt you?
They are poor, because their oppressor is the ruling class, not homosexuals. What's the correlation between homosexuality  and Poverty in Uganda? NONE. What's the correlation between political leadership and poverty in Uganda? millions. From  Obote,Idi-Amin to Museveni  all hugely contributed to great economic problems in the country. Uganda's real enemy is the ruling  class  that has passed poverty from generation to generation.

Why is it their moral value to condemn and maim gays while it's not in their same moral value to kill and condemn their leaders who rule with iron fist?

How does killing a gay activist improve their living conditions? Zilch. How does protesting against Museveni's leadership improve their living conditions? Go figure in Tunisia and Egypt,

Some people and their way of thinking. Some of these Ugandans dont have the balls to demonstrate  like the Arabs against  their life time President, Museveni, whose wife is also  a cabinet minister , but only take in fun killing an innocent man whose sexuality did not in anyway contribute to their misfortune and poverty. They are poor, ignorant, and gutless folks. It's corruption that has killed and continues to kill Africa, not sexuality.

[b]The way some people on here just compare things without real fact and physical proof is really lamentable, I sometime wonders what they are trying to prove, I go to Egypte, Tunisia, Turkey and the carribean on holiday on a regular basis, and I have toured a great part of the country sides and remote villages, honestly speaking, majority of the populace still lived in shacked houses like we have in Nigeria, rampant power failure, runs transportation with riketty danfo and coaster buses, bad roads etc.

Places like Turkey that attract 30 million tourist per year are not better than the Nigeria we talked so bad about, Comparing the city center of Istanbul, Tunis and Cairo with the who of Nigeria is actually not fair, If u go to the holiday hot spot in Turkey like Antalya, Side, Alanya, Mamaris, Bodrum, Kusadasi etc, they still experience rampant power failure and most of the hotels and companie still have a standby generators,  they uses mostly Domus ( turkish danfo) like u find all over Nigeria. They still farm and harvest with hard labour in those countries like we do in Nigeria. Even with their longer existence Nigeria have come to catched up with them in terms of development.

Just looking at pictures taken from a beautiful part of a country is not enough reasons to draw your line of judgement. I will scramble thru my photo's to show some of u how those places we are comparing Nigeri with actually looks like.
[/b]

You dont have a fair sense of comparison. Nigeria with over 150 million people generates 3800MGW of electricity while Egypt with 82 million people generates 22,600MGW. So who do you think is going to have more power outages? Egypt's GDP per capita is $6400 while in Nigeria it's $2400. Egypt has its own problems of poverty, but Nigeria is far worse. About 20% of their population lives below poverty line, while it's about 70% in Nigeria,





Egyptian electrification rates in 2008 were approximately 99.4 percent according to the International Energy Agency (IEA); this rate is among the highest of the continent with a 100 percent urban access to electricity and 99.1 in rural areas. Nonetheless, approximately 500,000 people still lack access to electricity.

According to EIA data, Egypt had an installed generating capacity of 22.6 Gigawatts (GW) in 2007, 19.4 GW of which was conventional thermal generation capacity, 2.8 hydroelectric and 0.3 GW of wind generation capacity.

Sector Organization

Egypt’s power sector is currently comprised of sixteen affiliated companies (six production, nine distribution and the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company) all of which are under the Egyptian Electric Holding Company. Growing electricity demand in the late 1990s spurred industry restructuring and plans for limited privatization of the electric power sector. The country now has several privately-owned power plants which are financed under Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) schemes. BOOT projects allow for the financing and development of the large scale energy projects without impacting the country’s debt profile.

Conventional Thermal

In 2007, conventional thermal energy sources accounted for 102 Billion kilowatt hours (Bkwh) of electricity generation, about 86 percent of the total. Almost all of this was met by domestically produced natural gas. Existing natural gas subsidies combined with plans to expand generation capacity indicate that the fuel will continue to play an important role in Egypt’s electricity mix.

Hydroelectricity

Egypt has a well developed hydroelectricity sector and, according to the energy minister, has utilized most of the Nile River’s hydroelectric potential. In 2007, Egypt generated 17 Bkwh from hydroelectric resources, almost all of which came from the Aswan High Dam and the Aswan Reservoir Dams.

Other Renewables

With the Nile River hydroelectric resources utilized, plans are underway to further develop the renewable energy sector. The most recent EIA data indicate that in 2007, wind farms accounted for only 0.8 Bkwh of electricity generation, with no other renewable sources being used. Government plans to free up natural gas resources for export combined with vast solar and wind resources will lead to further growth in the sector. To date, the government is planning to further develop the Red Sea wind resources through the World Bank’s Clean Technology Fund.

According to the Egyptian Electric Holding Company, other projects such as the solar-thermal Kuraymat development, should see start-up in 2010. This project is part of a larger future plan to export North African generated electricity to Europe through the Desertec project. Both of these projects will utilize concentrated solar power (CSP) with back up natural gas fired generators.

Nuclear

Egypt is also working on developing nuclear power as an energy source. It has a 22-MW nuclear research reactor at Inshas in the Nile Delta which began operation in 1997. The country has also approved a 1,000 MW power station at al-Dab’a which is open to international participation and is expected online by 2015.

International Connections

Work has been completed on the interconnection of Egypt's electric transmission grid with other countries in the region. The Five-Country interconnection of Egypt's system with those of Jordan, Syria, and Turkey was completed by 2002. Egypt also activated a link to Libya's electric grid in December 1999

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cabs/Egypt/Electricity.html

maybe a clean street isn't everything? Maybe having the right to be free from having another man be the master of you affairs is important to?


If nigerians 'riot' our streets will only get messier LOL. We have a horrible maintenance culture as a people. This is my point, our problems are cultural not systematic. Our system is honestly one of the best in the world, it's just the mentality of the people left to run and live under it is very counter productive.

A clean street is indicative of a semblance of an orderly and organized society. I don’t know how our "system" is the best in the world, Egyptians have had it better than Nigerians with one dictator; while in Nigeria, another oppressor goes and another is ushered in to continue the oppression. Nigerians are too complacent to demonstrate, we would rather go to church and pray than to roll up our sleeves and march against bad governance.

I was at one of the local the airports to drop off my friend to take a flight to Abuja, it was a 9.30 am flight- Air Nigeria- it was delayed by 60 minutes which stretched from 1hr to 6hrs. At about 3hrs into the situation, I had started demanding to know from the manager why 60mins turned into 3hrs, but some passengers started calling me a troublemaker; meaning that I should be begging the manager to see if he ''could help us". Finally the flight got cancelled  at about 3pm, everybody  was mad, but some still saw me as an agitator, without considering the fact that had we stayed the course on demanding some answers from the managers they would have told us on time that the flight would be cancelled in order to  make up for a plan B. So this irresponsible action resulted that my friend missed his flight to Abuja and also his international flight since there no time to make arrangement for a road trip to Abuja. A lot of other passengers missed their international flights as well. Some people still believed that I acted in bad faith after this saga. Three things are possible in this whole scenario. 1- They believe that airline delays are the norms in air travel. 2- They have been used to getting same type of treatment from airlines. 3- They have accepted that they are powerless as against airline. These are complacency cultures that have permeated Nigeria's way of dealing with social, economic and political issues.

Are u saying that Egypt is not better than Nigeria? Did you how see clean and cool their streets look like?

likeme
Please where is the proof to back up this claim. Light still goes off in SA

Typical Naija attitude! So long as someone is worse than us, we are the giants. Always using lowest point as the a measurement of success. "light still goes off in RSA as it does in Nigeria" Next  time dont come here to challenge facts with empty Naija ego or brain.
To put things in perspective for you.RSA generates 45billion watts of electricity with less than 45 million people while Nigeria generates 3.8 billion watts of elecricity with 150 million people.Can you do the math? Typical genset in Naija has a capacity of 2700 Watts for family use, which means that RSA can generate electricity for about 17 million homes- average family size of 4 will mean that 66 million people have  electricity in RSA.
In Nigeria, it means that NEPA generates 3.8 billion watts for about 1.4 million homes taking into account that average family uses 2700 watt genset, so for average family size of four; it will mean that about 5.6 million people in Naija have electricity.

[b]ikay88

NEWS
FACTBOX-South Africa power generation
plans
Fri, Jan 23 15:13 PM GMT
Jan 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's state-
owned utility Eskom [ESCJ.UL] said on Friday
that power supply had improved compared
with a year ago, when a near-collapse of
the power grid forced mines to close. To see
a story, please click on [ID:nLN93417]
Below are details of Eskom's generating
capacity.
CAPACITY AND SHORTFALL
* Eskom has a total operational capacity of
just over 39,500 megawatts (MW). It will
add close to 1,000 MW by returning
mothballed stations to service by the middle
of 2009.
* It operates 11 coal-fired stations and
Africa's only nuclear-powered plant along
with other smaller stations.
* Eskom, established in 1923, generates 95
percent of South Africa's electricity and 45
percent of Africa's electricity.
* In January 2008, the utility said it was
unable to supply power to the country's
mines sparking a major energy crisis.
* Eskom plans to invest 343 billion rand
($34.03 billion) in new power plants over
five years. It plans to spend 1.3 trillion rand
by 2025 to double generating capacity to
80,000 MW.
* Eskom estimates with the new capacity
coming onstream it can raise its reserve
margin or spare capacity to 10 percent by
2015, still short of its safe 15 percent target.
PLANNED POWER STATIONS
* Eskom started construction on the 4,788
MW Medupi power station in 2007. The first
of six units is due to be commissioned by
2012 and the plant will be operational by
2015.
* The 4,800 MW Kusile power station is due
by 2016.
* The 1,352 MW Ingula hydro power station
is due by 2013.
* The utility has invested in a wind farm
with 50 wind turbines providing 2 MW of
electricity each, due by mid-2010.
* The Ankerlig and Gourikwa open cycle gas
turbine power stations will nearly double
their capacity to 2,080 MW by 2009.
* The government plans to add 6,000 MW in
new nuclear energy by 2025 with the first
3,200 MW plant due in 2019.
* Eskom has put on hold the 1,500 MW
Tubatse hydro-power plant, citing a
slowdown in energy demand growth.
* The mothballed Camden power station has
been recommissioned and is now fully
operational; the Grootvlei and Komati power
plants will return to service by end-October,
2011.
[/b]

South Africa generates 45,000 MGW with a population of about 45 million while Nigeria generates 3800 MGW with a population of over 150 million

someone forced her to read   butcher the speech?

its called research. go to OPs previous answers and questions on their profile and you will see it. i guess you will never make a good detective will ya ?




As the Researcher in Chief on NL, U called the OP a female only to be reminded by the OP that he's a male.
Here are four responses from the OP, pls help me research where he mentioned his immigration status.


1 Once again I thank your all for your contributions, I have lived in North Carolina since November 2007 and I think the best way to reduce the stress is to move to another city within the state.

Thank you all.


2 Forums / Politics / Re: Leaving The U.s.a To Nigeria For Good. on: January 22, 2011, 04:54 AM
I thank all of you for your contributions, after reading your posts I have changed my mind to remain in the states, this forum have help me resolve one of of the most controversial issue in my life, moreover I'm a guy not a girl .

Once again I appreciate your contributions.


3 Forums / Politics / Leaving The U.s.a To Nigeria For Good. on: January 20, 2011, 05:42 PM
I always think of going back to Nigeria , The stress here is just too much maybe am not strong enough, meanwhile I open this topic to some of my friends, I called every body on my phone book to ask them if they think about the stress here or if the even felt the stress at all but was surprise to know that almost every body is tired of this country but just want to be regarded by people in Nigeria as one who lives in the states.

So I live in North Carolina for three years now and want to move back to Nigeria with my little savings at least 2 Million Naira, do you guys think I'm running mad, I'm getting ready to purchase my ticket but I need to make sure am not making any mistake that's why I bring this topic here.


4 Forums / Travel / Leaving The U.s.a To Nigeria For Good. on: January 20, 2011, 05:39 PM
I always think of going back to Nigeria , The stress here is just too much maybe am not strong enough, meanwhile I open this topic to some of my friends, I called every body on my phone book to ask them if they think about the stress here or if the even felt the stress at all but was surprise to know that almost every body is tired of this country but just want to be regarded by people in Nigeria as one who lives in the states.

So I live in North Carolina for three years now and want to move back to Nigeria with my little savings at least 2 Million Naira, do you guys think I'm running mad, I'm getting ready to purchase my ticket but I need to make sure am not making any mistake that's why I bring this topic here

No, why do you bother to have any?

Must everyone have kid? U are still stuck in the thinking that strength lies in number of kids  you have. This is 2011,  it ain't 1960

Somebody has wasted some years of his life in an unhappy environment and has only 13k dollars to show for it and you want him to keep enduring the punishment just because he will be smelling white sshit instead of black, you dont wish this guy well!
@ OP, hang on in there, by the time your mates have 5 kids each and you only have 20k saved + the stress, you will realize what you just walked into.

THe OP has not revealed his immigration status and the ITKS are already saying that she is illegal. A lot of folks make 18K 20K/yr in the states , so saving $4k/yr doesnt sound like a bad plan to me.

So having five kids is now a yardstick for measuring success?

Next time a bank builds its office next to my home/building
U think you are safe? If they cant get any money from the banks with dynamites and explosives, they would start sending threatening letters to home owners like you to pay millions of naira or ur home will be bombed.