Uchechukwu George Okoro is the president General of Owutu Edda Development Union, he’s a community builder of repute whose involvement has brought healing, sanity and progress to the community.
In this interview with Eze Sampson, Osuu Uche George as he’s fondly called shares with us his secret and strategy in community administration and management, relationship with other community leaders across Edda.
Excerpt.
In detail, can you tell us about yourself?
My name is Osuu Uchechukwu George Okoro, an indigene Akanu Owutu Edda and as you can see here is my house, and by the special grace of God the people of Owutu chose me as the Chief messenger in the office of President General Owutu Edda. Yes, we agreed and since then we have been trying our best to see that we do not disappoint them in various ways.
Sir, what you’re saying is that you’re the president of Nde Owutu in US, London, even the ones aspiring to become the governor of Ebonyi State, you mean you’re their president general?
By the grace of God!
Gwaii, it’s our pleasure meeting you sir.
You’re welcome.
Tell us, how has it been since you came into office as the president general Owutu Development Union?
In my understanding what God is involved is always different because this office I occupy today I didn’t apply for it. What I mean is that myself as a person didn’t apply to be voted for. I have served as Chairman Uke-ji-ogo for 16 years.
For 16 years?
Yes! They are the ones who knew what they saw that at the elapse of the tenure of the last set and I vehemently objected to it because by my experience, it’s demanding in time and resources wise. They refused and made the Chiefs, the elders, Nde Uke-ji-Ogo, Nde Ekpu Uke-Esaa and youths all insisted that I join the contest, and you know when it gets to this point I have no choice than to succumb and accept to try let me not give the impression that my people are making a request since God hasn’t giving me enough to build roads, hall or something more tangible. But this one that has to do with ordinary service I had to consider it.
That’s how it all started. Like the Election Day I didn’t campaign nor canvas for votes but at the announcement of the results I defeated my opponent with 153 votes. He got about 50 votes and it was at this point I came to the conclusion that it is God’s will and you know when he sends you there’s always a different and he has been guiding me all along.
After the election, I summoned the entire community known “Oku-Achi” and I said to them “now you have dragged me out” let us ask ourselves this question. “Are we comfortable with our situations”? Because even a planted seed desires to enjoy unhindered growth after budding, after a new child’s birth that child is expected to grow, and how come as a people we are retrogressing instead of progressing? At this point I asked them to make individual suggestions on what could be our collective challenges. There were copious of suggestions which we notice amongst them were;
- We have seldom apply various conclusions from our meetings like this.
- People showed less concern against other peoples matter here in Owutu and when similar incident hits you, your neighbor will react same way. We discovered this to be one our challenges.
- We also discover that younger ones have forcefully taken the place of the elders, even when their place was still very much important in the community to the extent that the adults were threatened with attacks if for any reason they react. In fact the children dominated the scene here in Owutu.
- Cultism became the order of the day to the extent during community meetings like this when an elder is speaking a little one will beckon on him to seat down and he will quietly comply due to the fear of the unknown.
All of the above mentioned were already in existence with us, also there were impassable roads within the community such as Asaga-Amangwu road anytime from 4 pm were considered out of bound as criminals would besiege the road attacking and looting passersby, Ama-ekpu road after Ngele-Okwara before Egbata-Uzo.
So many things of these magnitude were the reason I threw the question back to them. God again helped us with solutions bound ideas like setting arm whose responsibility would be to focus on those areas and aspect as security personnel.
People with reputable character because some of our politicians did us more harm than good in that regard as we came to understand they were the source of our youth’s insubordinations. Imagine handing a crime suspect to the police which is the right thing to do, leaving them for law to take it cause either to be punished by detention or taken to court, but before you get to your house in fact you might still be on your way back home that same person will cross you on the way or is already at home.
In a twinkle of an eye you will see him parading around you with confidence and at this time you have become more vulnerable as he stands a greater danger to you. When we also looked at that, we decided to tackle such attitude from continuing and God helped us in bringing that to a halt.
We succeeded by forming local vigilante group. We looked for people who are motivated, as a matter of fact they are not paid. I explained to them reasons why we needed self-motivated volunteers with instances of people in that past who gave themselves for such services; people like us. Everything should not be about money they are some God given rewards for such services. I made it clear to them that nobody was permitted to nominate anybody, you must nominate yourself for this particular service. About 32 of them showed up, we instituted them and since then they have been of great assistance and by our experience so far things have changed.
We also made sure that we reactivated the community’s council of elders since they were all retired to their houses, we went to their houses, beckoned on them to come out. We reorganized them, they started having monthly meetings that is still very much alive till date so we started tapping from their wisdom that we needed in order to realize our dreams as a progressive community. These wisdom-banks were found in different households so by bringing them out, their God given wisdom began to work for the benefit of the entire Owutu community.
We didn’t forget the women folks, I mean those who were already aged that were retired to their houses too. We told them; no, that they were not useless, that they could still be useful to us at their age. We went to their houses too and brought them out and inaugurated them too.
Presently they are active and functioning as well. And their responsibility varies: for instance if a man maltreats his wife the old women will visit such a man. Like some men who love to treat their wives unjustly or who are fund of leaving their families for another women, these aged women do not tolerate such in the community. If you try it and they visit you with their walking sticks it would have been better for you to have fought with spirits than entertaining them as guests.
The same goes with some women who abandon their husbands simply because things turned sour for their husbands, these old women too would pay unplanned visit to such a person or set of women and with this in place sanity is gradually returning to Owutu.
Then the elders on their own, I must be sincere to you that God has been using them on our behalf. A lot of forgotten and abandoned customs and traditions that has even nothing to do with Egbela, with their guidance those are returning to enhance our existence as a people. Another one is that when a child or a youth insults an elder he or she will receive 50 strokes of the cane being a warning that if you think this adult can’t stand you Owutu community will take up the fight and will be there for such a person because every adult and his prestige belong to Nde Owutu. So it is now our business to protect elders and their prestige in Owutu Community, this is a very small way we are trying to see what we can do together to better our lives presently.
Another important aspect of our leadership effort is on the aspects of engagement during Egbele season. Our people already jilted the true process and introduced cultism into it, on this we have also said no, we took a stand against such intrusion. This is making it about 5 years now we have not witness attack of any kind. Before now their pattern was after initiations they will go and double cross those participants from a distant village and what we did was to introduce a change that allows those from distant villages to be attended to first and then our men will follow them until they get home before returning back and by doing that normalcy has returned and everyone is happy that we no longer hear any form of bad news during those periods.
And we know that Rome was not built in a day and human beings are far from being perfect because devil still has his men, since you can’t be complete at all times but for now these are the things we have put in place and the results has been a great one.
Before now Owutu Edda as a community only meet during end of the year but we changed that by instituting a monthly meeting where all and sundry gather to discuss whatsoever it is that is bothering you, come and table it before Nde-Owutu, lets hear you, this is how far we have gone and are still going.
Sir, you have taken your time and listed steps and ideas your leadership has introduced since you came on board. Ideally what you have on ground is capable of turning around any straying society. Now tell us what are your academic qualifications or which institutions have you gone to acquire these uncommon leadership acumen?
I am one with my peers. The only book that I know that is very special and I have read is that I am led by the spirit of God. I wake up early most times, and myself and my spirit which I believe is the spirit of God will be in communion and however he tells me to go, during the day I will apply it and see that it’s working.
Thank you sir, how many hamlets are under you?
They are 10 of them
What are their names?
This is Akanu which is my place. ooohhhh, sorry let me start with Ude-Azi which is the seat of Authority. Then Akanu which is my own hamlet, Ama-Eke, Abia-Iwere, Ama-Ukabi, Asaga, Nde-Anumaero, Ufueseni and Ama-Ekpu and then Ama-Ebuo. These are the communities that make up the villages in Owutu.
We have been here for two days, and have also seen the audience and how they troop in here with different issues that require attention but we have also not seen any that have left unattended to. Can you tell us about your cabinet, are you the only one permitted to attend these matters or is there any other way some of these issues can be sorted out without getting to you?
Yes! We have Uke-ji-ogo, imanu igu yara igu ditutara nma wo ada-ajugbako.
Did you say Igu?
Yes! Igu yara Igu. You know where there’s cordial relationship, leadership will be smooth and hitch free. I came to understand that the previous administration before mine for whatever reason had no cordial relationship and the effect was obvious because God doesn’t like such a thing. We made sure that were working together from there we extended it to Ukeji-Ogo, all these bodies we work in brotherhood. When you see us meeting you see nothing but brotherhood. From there we introduced monthly meeting which takes place every Saturday Nkwo, Owutu community meet while Nde Ukeji-Ogo meets every Monday and Wednesday from 4 O’clock during this meeting including two-fighting, robbery and all kinds of issues that’s when they are treated. Imalezunuru aladunua lagha yolafo amala, bunu ilu Nde Edda. So they come to me always but they are some decisions I don’t take. After discussions, some of the discussion could be left to be decided in a lager house because they are some decisions I can’t take on my own. For instance you have seen some people I have asked to go, so when their matters are presented it would be concluded as “our decision” not…cuts in…
And not my decision?
Yes, not as my personal decision.
Nna ayi Ukwu kaa, among the sister communities here in Edda, Owutu is peculiar for the reasons that it seems to be the center of Edda and it can also be referred to as the economic center of Edda due to this market which is also a major attraction to the community, and as a result of this, the challenges here can’t be the same in other parts of, so how are you coping with these challenges?
Like I said earlier when the spirit of God leads you the journey becomes short. Therefore the challenges like you rightly mentioned were these bad boys although they are everywhere because there must be a Judas in every twelve. So they exist who were operating within us but we must thank God for the kind of security men he gave us. Being that today is Afor market, as we speak they are in the market patrolling, making sure that everything is in order and that everywhere is calm. The young man who just left here is going to the market, he’s one of the security men. If you look at that bag…pointing at a sack filled with freshly harvested cassava… this cassava was uprooted at midnight. In fact the trending system is people stealing other peoples’ cassava from the farm. They will bring it to the market as early as 5am they have sold it and you wouldn’t see them again before the owner will get to the market the cassava has already gotten to a buyer. So we made a law that nobody sells cassava until its 7am here in Owutu market.
Presently nobody displays or sells cassava until its 7am, any cassava seen before that time is a suspect, and this security measure has been paying off because, in more than 10 occasions we have suspected and they happened to be true. Some of them would make arrangements with some bad women directing them to certain locations, go there check it and after that you tell me how much it is worth and after bargaining payment will be made. Then the buyer will proceed and at that point the security men will intercept the buyer with questions of where did you get it from and who sold it to you? From there it would be confirmed that it was stolen and the search for the owner will start.
In a case scenario, about 2 weeks ago it was Elder Agwu Eseni that was a victim, they went to his farm at far away Ufu-Eseni and when the thief came to deliver it to the buyer he was apprehended, queried to find out where, and who the owner is?
During that time the news filtered in that he was seen somewhere on a bike and everyone who had farm within that location was mobilize and we were able to identify the farm by merely uprooting one cassava from that particular farm at was confirmed that Elder Agwu Eseni was the owner of the farm. We are talking about this particular compound, the cassava was released to him as the owner. And the security men had to take care of the thief in their own way. …general laughter…
How do they take care of the thief please?
….still laughing…. They know how to use the cane beautifully, and it must be concentrated on the buttocks.
Ok, when you insult an elder you receive the cane and when you steal you also receive the cane?
But the different for the thief is after the flogging you still be engaged in a manual labour to come back with thirty thousand naira (#30,000) for the community. It could be in a construction site casting or whatever clean job or engagement you must return with #30,000, so after that if you still wish to repeat the act, it’s up to you. But if during the time of these correctional engagements we notice any sign of reprobate attitude we wouldn’t hesitate to present such person or character to the police for further and adequate correction. Through that means we have jailed many persons as a result of that, we can be strict as well.
That brings us to this point for clarifications, it’s obvious that before you came in already there were numerous cases that required keen attention including those who wouldn’t want your person to ascend the position, what was their fate after your inauguration?
Hmmm! You know God loves peace and he’s also a peace maker. Because we had no reason to continue to look back, what we did was to look at some of them who were sober and ready to change we gave them time to see if they sincerely mean it. So, majority of them depended on their actions thereafter but some who were bent on the old way were handed over to the police so that the government will do to them what is due for a person of such character. We did that and they are still there, but those who agreed that their actions were wrong, we are still watching them.
Sir, to be sincere with you, permit me to use this word “model” the model you’re using here in Owutu if Edda in its entirety shall borrow leave from you, I am sure the hope for a better Edda clan and community is insight.
What’s your relationship with other community leaders regarding leadership pattern?
Yes! One of the things I tried was to encourage us to have a network. In fact when I was a member of Ukeji-Ogo was when I linked up with Ama-Iyi, before now we used to have security meetings together with Etiti Community, then Oye-Oku was not their leader yet. Their elder brother Ejem Okoro was their chairman and that was how I got to know him, if you also come to Itim here their own chairman too. The only place we were having some challenges was at Amangwu because there was a leadership tussle which lasted for some time, in fact it went so far that there’ve not been able to assemble a reputable community leadership. Right now what we do is whenever anything happens, we communicate immediately through phone call and as you receive that call you’re expected to follow up immediately in order to avert whatever that’s about to happen. For instance, there was a time the news filtered that people are killed and their corpses abandoned at Ufu-Eseni and before you know it our people were already there. The moment that news comes every accessible road is blocked is. So we have a very strong network but it becomes challenging because some are more proactive than some others but we believe over time we will all understand the essence of reacting swiftly when it is necessary.
You have mentioned our sister communities here at the lower Edda, what about those communities across the hills in the area of leadership network?
No, no, no! If you can reach the president general of Ekoli Band I am sure he would give you impressive details on what we are doing together, same goes to that of Umunna Community even that of Nguzu community we are all working together. That of Oso and I, like I told them we were supposed to have come up with a program that will enable us come together often through meetings but Basil has not been helpful in that regard I mean that of Nguzu. I have told him time without number on how helpful that will be to us. We need to be updated on the happenings in all the communities every day and that will enable us have relevant contacts of some for accessibility so that we wouldn’t be in the dark for whatever reason. When such understanding exist, it becomes easy for us to curb certain negativities even before it gets out of hand. So, I have cordial relationship with all of them because we are friendly enough, despite the fact that our response has not corresponded with the loftiness of our collective plan but with God we know that it’s very possible.
Before you say a word or two to Edda generally, what word of advice do you have for these youths on drug abuse?
My advice to this youths is that despite how much of a heartbreak it is, it is their future that is obviously at stake. Better put “it is wrong for you to tear the buttocks with knife when you know that you will need it to sit”. This same time they are wasting is the same time their mates are looking for how to get their academic hand-outs, school fees and all of that. While they are sneaking around at night their mates are using same time to study their books.
And this studies is exactly the kind of direction God has encouraged us to tow but in their case they have chosen to wallow and waste their own youthfulness not knowing the repercussions of their self-destructive actions. I say it to our people severally, there was a time our youths in prison custody became too numerous, one day I decided to visit them. I asked for their identities and their number and they were about 15 or 16 of them, so I gave them some alms but people misunderstood that saying that I was in support of their actions, because whenever I am going for such gesture I do that on my personal ground and not on behalf of the community. But the question is no matter the offense, once your relation is in the custody you must make sure they are not starved.
It’s when you do this things that they can listen to you and from listening to you they understand what message you’re trying to pass to them.
That’s the truth.
You must seek for their loyalty, until you establish a kind of friendship or they will continue to ferment trouble against the community and you must remember that they have already decided to be useless. But it’s your responsibility to let them know how useful they can become if they will change their ways, we need them, they need themselves as much as their families too. If they listen they will understand and if you don’t buy their loyalty you wouldn’t achieve anything positive in all of these. So, we have been telling them to understand what we are saying, some of their mates are already car owners while some have built their own houses. It is not through fermenting troubles that one can become useful but in doing something positive, in all of these family name is also at stake and this is what I tell them always.
Thank you very much sir, let’s look at the Owutu market. This is the economic face of Edda and with more amenities it can be more productive. So what is your word for Nde Edda in general both those in diaspora concerning this market?
What I have to tell them is that this market has been here but we also believe that as we progress that it might be relocated out of it present stand, but at its present location and makeup, if there’s anyone who has something to add to make it better because there’s something Owutu community cannot do. For instance if you ask me where we are getting money from I can’t answer you because that market is totally in the hands of the government, there’s no enumeration that comes to us as the owners of the market.
Are you serious?
We have raised the matter earlier but decided to leave it for now, we had plans to fence the market but are you going to fence where you get nothing from?
We wanted to make it as a law that nobody who is not from Owutu should be found within the market at night because they are situations where peoples vehicles get spoilt and instead of looking for somewhere to spend the night some retire to the market and when our security men get them punished the news will carry it that it’s because they are not from Owutu and this is confusing. We must call a spade a spade, although we are reducing the issues of flogging because when we do, we concentrate on the buttocks, there’s nothing that makes it severe except if the person is already condemned to die.
Anything that will bring you wound, no, we don’t try that and another place we also try that is at the feet. So it’s only the buttocks and the feet that we concentrate while flogging any culprit or defaulter of our laws. So, if God lays in the hearts our sons and daughters and they are able to drill boreholes for water in the market or provide us with toilets we will appreciate all of that. By God’s grace under leadership an agency came with toilet and tap borne water there in the market and we are happy, very soon they will be put to use so the unnecessary defecation can be controlled. Others can also come and do one thing or the other.
In fact show of love is from the heart not by force. Yes, the economic tree is for, in fact it belong to Nde Edda as we heard when Edda agrees on a person’s case they come there and hang the person’s hat so when it’s like that means it’s no longer Achi Owutu but Achi Edda. So anyone with love come and show it there.
Thank you sir.
Is that the area you are looking at?
Exactly, you have done justice to it sir. We are highly impressed and many who never knew what was on ground. We ask that that God will continue to give you wisdom in order to reach to those communities you mentioned earlier.
Kaa Sir.
Kaa! Have a nice day.
