BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
The organization during its sensitization and advocacy visit to the people of Ishieke Autonomous Community in Ebonyi Local Government Area of the state warned consumers and dealers of all harmful drugs especially the trending methamphetamine known as Mkpuru-mmiri in Igbo dialect to desist from it.
The Oha Izhi President General, HRH Eze S.N Oketa observed that the methamphetamine has wasted many lives and however, disclosed the organization's plan to fight the menace in Izhi land.
"We are surprise to hear that Mkpuru-mmiri has taken over the normal mmiri that's the drinkable water. The so called Mkpuru-mmiri is very dangerous to human health, and we can't fold our hands watching our people to go useless because of the evil and harmful drugs.
"Our charge to you as a parent, the community leaders and individuals is that if you see any consumer or dealer of Mkpuru-mmiri, please alert the security people to get the person arrested.
"Government has described the dealers and consumers as criminals and in Izhi land, we are supporting the government in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking, even bushing and open defecation, all the social vices."
Eze Oketa urged the community people to go back to the normal Izhi cultural practices which promote love, peace, unity and progress among them, by shunning every divisive inclination inform of kindred dichotomy, in considering its negative implications against their future.
Lending his voice, the Vice President of Oha Izhi, Chief Boniface Ezaegu called all hands to be on deck in promoting the genuine cultures of Izhi people.
Ezaegu noted that Izhi culture abhors drug addiction and any human action capable of fueling crisis in the society.
Giving overview of the Oha Izhi constitution, the Secretary General of the body, Chief John Nkwuda explained that Oha Izhi was formerly known as Izhi Forum, promoting positive development and general welfares of their people, fostering unity, understanding and cooperation among them.
He said that every Izhi man or woman either by birth or marriage is a member and obliged them to identify with his or her community development union.
Nkwuda said the constitution of the organization would be of great assistance to all Izhi children and advised each family to endeavour to get a copy for a proper guidance.
Emphasizing more on the need to avoid bush burning and open defecation, the Publicity Secretary of Oha Izhi, Apostle Benjamin Obeji charged the community leaders including the traditional rulers, town union presidents and all the village heads in Izhi land to wake up to their responsibilities by stopping the acts, adding that the little children should not be allowed to set or fetch fire no matter what may be the cause.
He urged the people to work together in tiding up their environments, while observing the Yuletide and with full alert against every security threat in their various vicinities.
Also, the Assistant Secretary General of the body, Prince Andrew Ekpe Nwiga advised the community people to carry out the sensitization and advocacy program to their respective families and villages, noting that, the trending Mkpuru-mmiri drug has sent many lives to the graveyards.
Nwiga urged the people to be promoting peace and unity by shunning anything capable of tearing their people apart.
In addition, some officials of the organization, Chief Sunny B. Ekpagu, Chief Hyacinth Uguru and Barr. Dickson Amaga reminded the community people of the ongoing continuous voter registration, saying that Oha Izhi has made it compulsory for their people who already tuned eighteen years and above with a severe sanction awaiting the defaulters.
Meanwhile, the community stakeholders including HRH Eze Solomon Nwiboko Iboza - the Traditional Ruler Ishieke Autonomous Community, Dr Chamberlain Nwele - the Town Union President, Prince Chinedu Uburu, and numerous others commended the organization for the impactful advocacy visit in their area and promised to champion the issue of the continuous voter registration with assurance of their continuous efforts in promoting peace and unity among themselves.
