RAYMOND OZOJI
Granted that the present administration of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is making frantic efforts to reclaim Anambra State from daredevils judging from his security strategies and intelligence gathering in ensuring public peace, these efforts leave much to be desired as most social gatherings like traditional marriages, burial ceremonies and some others no longer take place in the communities for fear of invasion by hoodlums. Instead people, who have the financial muscles, resort to hotels in Awka and other urban areas for traditional marriages.
Investigations reveal that Anambra indigenes now conduct traditional marriages of their daughters in Lagos, Ibadan and other states across the country for fear of being swooped upon by hoodlums if such events were held in their respective communities. Indeed, home land security system should be beefed up and made more proactive and responsive to instill confidence in the people, allay their fears and also give them guarantee on security of lives and properties as holding traditional marriages in hotels or outside the state is a negation as well as an erosion of custom and tradition.
Recently, a traditional marriage ceremony, which was supposed to be held at Ukpor in Nnewi-South Local Government Area, was held at Finotel Hotel, Awka. Also a prominent business man from Umuike Ubahuekwem Ihiala, in Ihiala Local Government Area, did the daughter’s traditional marriage in Ibadan, Oyo State, where he is based. A most recent tragic incident was the gruesome murder of a young man two days before his traditional marriage at Ukpor, Nnewi-South council area. Most worrisome is that in Isseke, a community in Ihiala Local Government Area, is currently facing a standing order that no traditional marriage, burial ceremony or any social gatherings should be held in the area. These are issues threatening public safety and the home land security should not be docile about it.
To Be Continued …