Archbishop Emeritus of Owerri Catholic Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna has charged Igbo people to make concerted efforts to check rising violence in Igbo land.
Obinna spoke, Thursday, during a funeral mass in honour of HRH Eze Pius Muforo, the traditional ruler of Aborshi Izombe Autonomous Community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
He stated that the killings and destruction of property in Igbo land, if not checked, would adversely affect development of the area.
Obinna said he was personally pained over the turn of events in Izombe, described the community as very strategic in Igbo land.
“Izombe is very important place in Igbo land. I started hearing the name of the community because of so many good things here before I was ordained priests and bishop.
“Before, I was not hearing bad news in Izombe, but today, a lot of negative news are coming out here and I urge you to be more wise”, he said.
Izombe had witnessed more than six incidences of invasion by armed men which resulted in the burning of scores of buildings and deaths of a few individuals.
Obinna told the people to stop killings of brothers and sisters in the name of agitation for Biafra.
“We will like to have Biafra, but it is not with catapult that we will get it. Let there be love and unity among Igbo people.
“The 2023 election is very close, my advice is for our people is to come together and support good candidates because that is how we can move forward,” he said.
He urged aggrieved people of Izombe to meet with him for peace dialogue that could bring more enduring peace and resolution of the ongoing crisis in the area.
Son of the traditional ruler, Rev. Fr. Ernest Muforo, who spoke on behalf of the family, said he was very grateful to the people who attended the burial.
“We first fixed this burial for Dec. 9 before 15 due to the situation in Izombe yet you people came in your numbers.
“For the past four months, our Parish Priest has been starving because of the security situation in Izombe because many people are on the run.
“In spite of what is happening, Izombe are good people, we may have some bad eggs, but these people should know that Izombe is our only home.
” For those who ran away and came from wherever they ran to for this burial, let them return home because we cannot abandon our place,” he said.
Eze Muforo who died at the age of 88 was the first traditional ruler of an oil producing Aborshi Izombe Autonomous Community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo.
Vanguard