Peace Talk: Mayor Orji Meet With Ogbogwu Traders To Brainstorm On Way Forward …..Conduct Market Election, The Only Way Out…Traders

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

Following the crisis that is rocking the drug market,Ogbo Ogwu, Bridgehead Market Onitsha, the Mayor of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Hon Chief Emeka Orji on 14th August meet with the traders of the market to brainstorm on way forward.

Present at the meeting which was held at the office of the Mayor was the Mayor, the DPO Bridgehead, Director DSS Onitsha South, the legal adviser to the Mayor, the local government secretary, the three groups from the market which were, the past leaders, the present executives and the agitating group, Justice for Ogbo-ogwu and others.

The Mayor while speaking, emphasized on the importance of ensuring peace in the market especially this time of going to poll. He assured that peace must return to Ogbo-ogwu after the peace talk and the implementation. He called on the warring parties to embrace peace which would create an enabling environment in their market.

The former Councillor of Fegge ward 3, Hon Tochukwu Umeobieri who is also a trader in the market while speaking, he stressed that one cannot be seeking for peace without forfeiting some certain things. He added that there must be concession for peace to be achieved.

He advised the chairman on the importance of flexibility as one of qualities of a good leader but not to the detriment of the market rules.

He further mentioned of having a communique, directing the Justice for Ogbogwu group led by Mr Chibueze Ifejiofor to write down their grievances, table their agitations in a letter and directed any other agitating group if any to also do the same and submit to the Mayor who would consult the intellectuals to look into it and issue a communique where all the warring parties would sign so that there will be a lasting peace in the market.

Umeobieri also mentioned that as the election nears, there must be a campaign in the market and it will be embarrassing for any aggrieved group to be going round the market with placards, reiterated the need to ensure that whatever that should be done, was done as quick as possible so that the people involved would be reconveyed, where all this communique he suggested would be issued and signed.

In his complaint, the leader of the Justice for Ogbo-ogwu, Mr Chibueze Ifejiofor stated that the market chairman went to a radio station and announced that they (he and his group) are not suppose to trade on drugs and for that they the agitators have concluded that he, the chairman would not lead them.

He added that if there must be peace, their Chairman should step aside and be replaced with a new person for an election.

One of his member, Prince Friday Osisi maintained that if there is no room for an election, let the government sign an alternative resolution, may be to organize some people, let it be none of the persons at the meeting or else to constitute any other way possible to them, let it not be election, let it have a time frame for them to organise and bring people together and all these things will stop

In his opinion, one of the former chairman of the market, Chief Emeka Ezeanyika disclosed that since the lingering of the crisis following the closure of the market by NAFDAC, all those that campaigns for Governor Charles Soludo he said has withdrawn.

He pointed out that it might be meaningless but it matters a lot and need to be resolved because of the election, added also that their chairman should have a listening ear when it comes to advice.

He advised the Chairman to pay his resigned executives, the Vice Chairman, the Secretary and some other ones agitating, whom he indebted with, adding that they would be posing threats to his leadership and to also reduce his high handedness and stubbornness which causes animosity and the market needs to be accounted for.

He quoted that in matrix, you cannot destroy the center of the center without those at the center, you cannot do it through the periphery, saying that the problem the chairman is going through is that those at the center with him are no more with him and added that all these crisis will not be managed without sorting issues with those people.

A past Chairman, Chief Chukwukelue Ezioba while commending Mr Ndubuisi for the love he has for the market and it’s progress, said that if he is opportune to write the history of Ogbo-ogwu today that he(Mr Ndubuisi) is one of those that did very well in the market.

He also said that Ogbo-ogwu has many intellectual, all calibre of people, even those with contacts, that it is with these reasons that you hardly see what is happening in Ogbo-ogwu in other markets.

According to him while directly talking to the chairman,”The problem in the market is that as we politicians, you have overstayed your welcome, all these people know their right, you might be saying that they are not the one that installs you, you should know that everything has guidelines, don’t be surprise that tomorrow they might sue you for overstay in office, caretaker has duration”.

He pleaded to the Mayor saying that if there is need for them the past chairmen to write a letter in that regard, they will do that, as long as after the November election, their own election will be another topic to be attended to.

Reacting, the Market Chairman, Mr Chukwuleta Ndubuisi disclosed that whoever that didn’t know the foundation of Ogbo-ogwu will be misinformed. He pointed out that he don’t compromise in terms of fake products because he don’t know who would consume it.

He added that he can be able to manage the issue of selling of fake drugs because he embarked on dealing with any shop found with a fake or counterfeit drug, then let the owner of the shop hold the person that sells to him responsible or report to NAFDAC and this method according to him, couldn’t allow the sellers of fake drugs to continue any longer.

“I insisted because it is a life saving drugs, people need it to survive. I do not disturb those that sell unregistered drugs but as for fake, those agitators condole them, they welcomed them, collect money from them and that was the reason I changed their positions.

Contributing, the Local Government legal adviser, Barr Stanley Okafor stated the necessity of the present leaders to be in consultation with the past leaders in the affairs of the market because wealth of experience matters.

He emphasized on having a very good standardized document and the need to entrench their conflict resolution in that document where they can be independent so that they can pass judgement without any fear or favour of which they will also consult the market chairman because he remains the leader.

In his contribution, the Divisional Police Officer of Bridgehead, Ineke Nnamdi, SP advised the market chairman that a leader whom his followers believe in whatever he said amounts to the state being in anarchy, assured that he must have an opposition and must be constructive.

He advised that he must accept his enemies, use them to achieve his aims and to also imbibe the spirit of sacrifice in service. He also advised the market chairman and the leader of the Justice of Ogbo-ogwu whom he said are the bone of contention in this matter to put apart any personal thing that is causing problem in the market.

The traders in the course of the peace talk were also directed by the DPO, the director DSS, Obolo Obianuju and the Local government Secretary to stay away from protest of any kind, social media, arrest or court till the decision of the matter.

The matter was later adjourned to next week and the people involved are to reconvened then.

Binding the hands if the market chairman and the leader of the agitating group while praying