The Omuobile Community, previously a sub village under Omkpova, Mgbuoshimini block in Ibaa, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, have gained autonomy as a distinct community.
The ceremony which held over the weekend, was a home coming of who is who in Ibaa with friends, relatives and well-wishers gathered to celebrate the long awaited freedom.
Omuobile Community rolled out their traditional drums to entertain august visitors who came to felicitate with them.
The twenty- two villages of Ibaa clan were represented by the Owhor-holders headed by Ohna Amos Onuwa who lead the rest of them to perform the traditional ritual in line with Ibaa customs and tradition, even as the traditional and political leadership of the clan graced the epoch making occasion irrespective of political affiliations
Addressing the occasion, the newly inducted member of the Ibaa Council of Chiefs, Chief Nduka Chijioke Ihunwo said the autonomy have a lot of political, economic and traditional benefits, stressing that Omuobile can now produce a Councilor whenever it is their turn, as well as a Community Development Committee (CDC) for Ibaa clan.
He maintained that Omuobile now have the opportunity to showcase their political and administrative prowess to their people at the grass root.
Chief Ihunwo however acknowledged that the community had many challenges in the process of pursuing the the autonomy status, ranging from finance and availability of persons.
The newly inaugurated Chief called on all sons and daughters of Omuobile to always remember home, embrace peace and respect constituted authority as he also admonished the youths to shun cultism and support the government of Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike.
In his speech, the Emohua LGA representative at the Federal GovernmentPublic Works Department, Hon Fubara Ohaka said that since there is no alternative to peace, the people of Omuobile should ensure peaceful coexistence.
“We the people of Omuobile need to embrace peace at all times. In fact, there is need for peaceful co-existence and co-peraton among the sons and daughters of Omuobile Community”, he said.
Ohaka who is also the Eze Chimereze 1 of EMOLGA told the people of the community to be humble and tolerant with their neighboring communities as well as work towards the development of the area.
He promised that as one of the community leaders at Ibaa Clan, he would initiate programmes that would ensure that Omuobile would be on the fast lane of development.
Ohaka charged the youths of Ibaa clan to work hard and acquire relevant skills, assuring that he would do his best to give every youth of Ibaa clan a sense of belonging.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Omuobile Community Development Committee (CDC) Chgairman, Mr. Enyaburugu Ogechukwu said they decided to seek self-assertion and determination as well as autonomy due to numerous reasons.
His words, “Autonomy brings people closer or together. It also provides opportunities for social interaction and socio-economic development of a people. Besides, it advances development and creates positive alternatives for youth and women”.
The CDC chairman expressed displeasure with the number of communities Ibaa clan has, adding “Our hearts bleed on a daily basis as regards to the number of communities we have in Ibaa clan today compared with our sister towns in Ikwerre land”.
He further pointed out that the process that led to the people of Omuobile Community from separating from Omkpoba Community came with pain and struggle, appealing to the leadership of Emohua and the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to ensure that more communities in the LGA become autonomous.
