The Senior Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on Power, Chief Chinedu Awo, has attributed the resolution of the decades-long communal crisis in parts of Ebonyi State to divine intervention through Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, describing the achievement as an act of God that brought lasting peace to the affected communities.
Speaking during a thanksgiving service held at the Methodist Church to mark his family’s appreciation to God, Awo said the prolonged conflict between the Effium and Ezza-Effium communities had finally come to an end through the decisive leadership of Governor Nwifuru.
According to him, the crisis, which lingered for several decades and claimed lives and properties, was one many believed could never be resolved.
He noted that the governor’s commitment to peace, dialogue and inclusive governance made the difference, leading to the creation of two autonomous communities—Alioma and Ezekuna Alioma from Ezza Effium zone as part of a lasting solution to the conflict.
“What God has done in our communities is beyond human imagination. This is one of the major reasons we came to church today to thank Him. God used our able governor to end a crisis that lasted for decades,” Awo said.
He expressed deep gratitude to God for His protection over his family and for the peace now enjoyed by the people, adding that the thanksgiving was also a show of appreciation to all stakeholders who contributed to the peace process, including traditional rulers, women leaders, market women and community elders.
Awo called on displaced persons and residents who fled the area during the conflict to return home, assuring them that peace had been fully restored.
He emphasized that the reconciliation achieved would foster unity, security and development across the communities.
The event attracted top government officials, community leaders, support groups, friends and well-wishers, all of whom used the occasion to advocate for sustained peace and harmonious coexistence, particularly during the yuletide season.
Also speaking at the event, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Stephen Uchenna Igwe, stressed that peace remained the foundation of economic growth and development, urging the people to embrace government policies on boundary demarcation and community administration.
In his homily, Very Rev. Prof. Olu Ogbonna encouraged the congregation to remain steadfast in promoting peace, noting that development could only thrive in an atmosphere of unity and mutual understanding.
The gathering equally served as a platform for stakeholders to reaffirm their support for Governor Nwifuru’s peace agenda, with traditional rulers and elders describing the administration’s intervention as timely and historic for the people of Ebonyi State.
