December is here and a good number of people love the last month of the year regardless of their religious beliefs. This is because there will be quite a handful of holidays, a lot of giving, gifting and sharing not only by individuals but also by corporate organisations and the ambience will be celebratory.
Interestingly, gifting has become a trend for the yuletide to show appreciation to clients, loyal customers as well as groom or nurture relationships for the upcoming year. And corporate organisations and individuals are constantly searching for affordable and convenient ways to gift without breaking the bank. eCommerce is the solution.
Convenient Christmas Gifting
Interestingly, gifting has become a trend for the yuletide to show appreciation to clients, loyal customers as well as groom or nurture relationships for the upcoming year. And corporate organisations and individuals are constantly searching for affordable and convenient ways to gift without breaking the bank. eCommerce is the solution.
Convenient Christmas Gifting
eCommerce has already disrupted the way Nigerians make their purchases. Across the country, you will find not only millennials but also digital immigrants ordering items on Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination.
Corporate gifting is not an exception here as organisations can outsource their gifting plans to an eCommerce company like Jumia. Jumia, in turn, takes the responsibility of delivering the best gifts notwithstanding if it is modern or traditional, at the most affordable price. Beyond this, Jumia assists you with the choice of product, discount requests, ensure availability and delivery. This will enable organisations to focus on offering sterling services to client and customers during the whole yuletide.
Alternatively, organisations can sign up to Jumia Corporate in which they will get the highest level of support/dedicated account manager, fast shipping nationwide, electronic invoicing, exclusive offers (employee incentive solutions, rewards solutions), effective return policy, access to express delivery options and largest assortment of products in Nigeria with over 2,000,000 products.
Gifts for Christmas
Corporate gifting is not an exception here as organisations can outsource their gifting plans to an eCommerce company like Jumia. Jumia, in turn, takes the responsibility of delivering the best gifts notwithstanding if it is modern or traditional, at the most affordable price. Beyond this, Jumia assists you with the choice of product, discount requests, ensure availability and delivery. This will enable organisations to focus on offering sterling services to client and customers during the whole yuletide.
Alternatively, organisations can sign up to Jumia Corporate in which they will get the highest level of support/dedicated account manager, fast shipping nationwide, electronic invoicing, exclusive offers (employee incentive solutions, rewards solutions), effective return policy, access to express delivery options and largest assortment of products in Nigeria with over 2,000,000 products.
Gifts for Christmas
Christmas gifts can either be traditional or modern depending on who you are giving. However, in Nigeria, the most shared Christmas gifts include rice, oil, hampers and promotional/customised gifts which you can buy on Jumia. Whatever the gifts you are giving, the most important things is for you to personalize it.
Tips For Giving The Best Christmas Gifts
Choosing effective and impactful corporate gifts for your clients and customers is not as difficult as many believe. Just follow these few tips and get the best gifts.
(a) Don't buy gifts that will end up in the trash: most companies have the basics handled. The world has gone digital, and your clients don't need a calendar to put on the wall near their desk. Unless they are a car enthusiast and you gave them images of their favourite automobiles, it's not likely that they'll hang your company calendar next to their desktop.
(b) Personalise it: you should try to include your business name on your corporate gift. There are no problems with a branded gift so long as it is tactful and provides value at home or in the office.
(c) Do think of something your client will appreciate: be thoughtful. Developing a rapport with your clients is important throughout the year. Use the holidays as an opportunity to let them know you were listening.
(a) Don't buy gifts that will end up in the trash: most companies have the basics handled. The world has gone digital, and your clients don't need a calendar to put on the wall near their desk. Unless they are a car enthusiast and you gave them images of their favourite automobiles, it's not likely that they'll hang your company calendar next to their desktop.
(b) Personalise it: you should try to include your business name on your corporate gift. There are no problems with a branded gift so long as it is tactful and provides value at home or in the office.
(c) Do think of something your client will appreciate: be thoughtful. Developing a rapport with your clients is important throughout the year. Use the holidays as an opportunity to let them know you were listening.
Heineken had the entire country buzzing earlier this year when they began the Heineken #192Countries Campaign.
What was the gag?
You could win a chance to visit some of the countries in which Heineken is currently being sold just by using the Shazam app to scan a code which unlocks a country.
7 lucky Nigerians won the opportunity of a lifetime to tour the world for ten days and in case you were wondering who they are, here’s a hint: they are just like us.
1. The Selfie-takers: Let’s not act like selfies are not important. An all-expense paid trip around the world is cool and all but what fun is it if you don’t have any front camera action.
2. The History-lovers: Some people are looking for proof of a good time, some just wanted to soak up the culture and history of the country. Visiting ancient sites and museums in a foreign country is definitely an experience of a lifetime so why not take it all in?
3. The Sociable Ones: You win a trip to Europe courtesy of the #Heineken192Countries campaign, you really want to meet people from 192 countries.
4. The Adrenaline Junkies: Rollercoasters and scary rides are not for everyone but for those who have a thrill for adventure, Amsterdam was definitely the place to be. Chilly weather or not, some of the tourists went out to play and had the rush of a lifetime.
5. The Shopaholics: You can’t return to Nigeria after taking a trip to the abroad without coming back with goodies. Some of the tourists traveled fully prepared to take on the Amsterdam market and return victorious.
6. The Amateur Photographers: With scenery as gorgeous as the landscape in Amsterdam, the inner photographer in anyone is bound to come through. From the vintage feel of the country to the waterside, the tourist took some incredulous shots of the country space.
7. The Foodies: Good food is essential to human survival and it is a more amazing experience when you get to discover new meals from other parts of the world. While some people were looking for jollof rice on the menu, other were embracing the delicious palettes of Amsterdam.
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For those who are religious, you would feel a certain kind of loss. It's permanent. I am not going to tell you if sex is actually sweet and worth all the hype. Coz if I do, then you will accuse me of not being a virgin. And if I don't, well, you never know.
Truth is, let no one pressure you into having sex...
...Most people have sex to please their circle of friends yet they think it's their choice. Whereas it's not a choice of WILL but a choice TO BELONG.
To be able to say "Yes I have" or "I know what it's like" or "I prefer 69 or missionary"
Wrong priority!
Some people are currently in a relationship they don't like with people they don't like, doing things they don't like and having sex they don't like just to prove a point to people they don't like.
How messed up is that.
Then again, some people help the devil do his job, they tempt themselves. Sometimes people want to test your courage when it comes to the subject of sex.
You hear statements like:
- "So you can't visit me, are you a baby?"
- "Come over jare, it's just a harmless visit"
- "Sit on the bed, why are you so scared? "
- "Spend the night, nothing will happen, we are both mature"
My sister, my brother, you re a baby! You re scared! Something will happen! No one is ever mature when it comes to sex, your body must react! It's biology! You don't have anything to prove to anyone!
When you start having sex, e no dey belleful oh!
Don't tempt the devil!
St. Phillip says "When it comes to the subject of CHASTITY, cowards are heroes"
Igbo people would say "Nkwụcha abụrọ ụjọ" which translates to "Vigilance is not cowardice."
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Sadly, a lot people have desecrated their bodies so badly even sex itself is angry with them. How can someone's daughter be having sex at the 3rd floor and she's moaning so loud you could hear it from the 2nd floor?
I couldn't sleep that night, for over 20 mins!
Again, how do you have sex with someone who you know you can never marry? This is beyond me! Worse is, some human beings use hard drugs to energize themselves to pound someone's daughter and future wife.
And the someone's daughter and future wife will be shouting "Harder! Harder!"
The biological consequences start to set in when your body's biology becomes so dependent on those drugs, it can't function without them.
Let me not just talk too much...
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At the end of the day, after ruining the body and with excess sex - pressured sex from drugs, alcohol, etc...
You can't think straight, because while the person in front of you is talking, your mind is mentally undressing the person and your eyes scanning every inch of...
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You get married, your spouse gets to suffer it! You accuse the innocent man or woman of being a 2-mins person, whereas it is you who is sexually insatiable!
Succubus! Incubus!
Probably 10 years into the marriage, there's no kid, you're saying "God's time is the best".
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Stop visiting a 'brother' that is not your brother... And you think it's only phone you will charge there.
If you must have sex, do it with someone that have sense.
In fact, don't have sex at all! You were not designed a sex robot!
Wait, get married and do it till you tire!
Ask your God to be with you, he will.
The patience is difficult, but in the end, it will be worth it.
You will have a happy marriage, an inexplicably lovely spouse and a cute baby that looks like this. 👇 😘
Daalụ nụ (Thank you)
Alright, there's already a high rate of ladies who are really having a shy personality in bed. COLOSSUS GISTS wants to let you know that being shy doesn't mean you can't be a tigress in bed.
All you need to do is to first and foremost, identify that you should always play an active part in your man's pleasure too.
With the following tips below, we believe it can help you enjoy the man you love confidently.
1. Always Be Really Connected
A lot of men love to connect with their partner. They want to know they are satisfying you as their partner, not just as a woman. So, you need to build on that. Try for eye contact from time to time and let him see the lust and desire in your eyes.
2. Learn How To Dirty Talk
You can dirty talk with the man you love. No need to go overboard if you are troubled. Just some reassuring words like how he turns you on, how you love it when he touches you somewhere, etc, will do until you are more relaxed.
3. Think Way Beyond His Penis
Women wrongfully assume that all a man need is to have his dick aroused which is not true. A man also likes to be teased and enjoys it when a woman takes the time to explore his body. Find his erogenous zones. Males have a sensitive spot between their Adam's apple and chest.
4. Be Fearless
He finds you beautiful, that is why he wants to make love to you. Forget those insecurities and show him how much sexier you can be. Tell him what you like. Show him what you enjoy.
We’ve all been at the McDonald’s drive-thru window, salivating over the food that has been handed to us only a matter of seconds after we ordered it – but how does it get there so quickly? Reporter NEIL ATHEY took a look behind the scenes at one of the chain's restaurants
“A MEAL needs to be completed in about 60 seconds,” says crew trainer Will Harvey in the kitchen of the Rising Bridge McDonald’s restaurant.
“We’ve got to respond to an order in five seconds and start the process immediately, it’s a really fast run,” says Will as he places fresh buns in the toaster.
Numerous alarms and signals go off at once as the complex cooking system tells staff food is either ready to go or has been standing too long and needs to be thrown away.
Taking my first steps into the kitchen, I thought it looked chaotic and demanding, however, I discovered there was a rigorous, tried and tested system all the staff is accustomed to.
Each station - fries, burgers, drinks and ice cream - has a dedicated staff member constantly producing orders which are distributed via a hi-tech computer network.
A £900,000 refurbishment of the restaurant, which took place over six months, has transformed how the staff work on a daily basis.
Shabana Khan, the assistant manager, showed me how the drive-thru is monitored and how cars are followed from order to delivery, making sure the process is as quick as possible.
Shabana said:
“The technology has really helped us so much.
“The kitchen is a lot calmer and more efficient, we get food out a lot quicker and customers are able to tuck in sooner than ever before.
“Our record for the most drive-thru orders completed in one hour is 114, but we’d love to beat it.”
I don my McDonald’s cap, shirt and pinny - complete with name badge - and try my hand at making a Big Mac for the first time.
I start off by toasting the ‘heel’, the bottom half of the bun, and the ‘crown’ - the top half.
I add a dollop of McDonald’s Big Mac sauce to each half, following by a garnish of onions, lettuce and two slices of pickles.
After carefully balancing the ingredients, I added two beef patties on each side to finish.
I was impressed by the speed and coordination of the staff as I slowly built my burger and others sped through the several orders that came flying through.
Fries are placed into hot oil and cooked, before being put under a heater, ready to be served.
However, with freshness being key, each batch is only allowed to stand for five minutes at most before they are considered not fresh enough to serve.
The restaurant’s new look, the McDonald’s ‘Alphabet scheme’, was really appealing, I thought.
It provided a modern, clean, inviting interior complete with wooden seating, white tiled walls and pleasant lighting.
The new look also comes with a touch-screen self-order service point so customers can pick their order and wait at the counter for it to be made.
Customers can also have table service so the risk of dropping a large order on the way from the counter is now a thing of the past.
David Duncan, the franchisee of the restaurant, also runs five others in the area and has been keeping them to the highest order for 19 years.
David said the refurbishment has brought a better customer experience to the restaurant like never before.
He said:
“The whole experience of ordering food has changed.
“You can order it at the self-service point, you can order it on your phone while in the restaurant, or have it delivered.
“We get customers who like the face-to-face interaction and they use the till, but we get others who like the new technology.
“It really has freed up the till area. Even when it gets busy the queue flows nicely.
“The table service has been really beneficial for the customers. Families with children can sit down and wait without having to worry.”
Cameron Rhodes, 20, another crew trainer, has worked at McDonald’s on and off for four years while studying at college and university.
He said:
“The flexibility of working hours is fantastic.
“I work during the holidays and I’m able to just slot right back in and I’m always wanted back for shifts.
“I really like the table service, you’re able to speak to customers and chat about the food and if everything is okay, you also get to build up a relationship with regular customers.
“We’ve had great feedback from everyone about the store’s new design, we really like it too.
“Staff gets on really well together and that is key to working in a place like this, a high-pressure environment.”
Around 90 members of staff are employed at the restaurant.
Eileen Murphy, brand ambassador for the restaurant, said the franchise is always engaging in community projects, including litter clean-ups, volunteering with the North East Lancashire Riding School for the Disabled, sponsoring the Blackburn with Darwen Good Neighbour Awards and helping with tile restoration at the Exchange Building in Blackburn.
I was impressed at how well the restaurant was run and how smoothly the process was.
Everyone knew exactly where to be and what to do at the right time, it was like complex clockwork, with all parts fitting together perfectly, all relying on the other to do their bit.
Staff were in high spirits and enjoyed working as a team.
Any ill-founded rumor of McDonald’s food not being as fresh as possible should now be a thing of the past.
The Rising Bridge restaurant is the future of McDonald’s.
Source
Stop seeing breasts as simply sexual objects and you'll be less provoked. Model Mara Martin went viral for breastfeeding five-month-old daughter, Aria on the runway of a fashion show in July
In pre-advanced societies, high-class women used wet-nurses to breastfeed their infants - for some, to prevent an inevitable breast sag, the average woman has been shamed for public breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding in public in Nigeria
"I had my son 6 months ago, and he has been my greatest blessing. Some time ago, he was crying at a party, so I excused myself from the gathering to 15 yards outside the hall.
"My Husband had stepped away with his car. As I sat on a car's hood to breastfeed him, passersby starting giving me judgmental glances. I never felt so proud to be a Mother, yet so ashamed of myself" Jola, a 31-year-old lawyer, in Lagos, Nigeria tells Colossus Gists.
Attitudes to public breastfeeding differ by society. It's not completely outlawed in most liberal societies, but 'cover-up' has become a seeming mantra for the 'offended'.
Ventures Africa - Breastfeeding in public in abroad
In June 2017, an American mum Brei Theisen was shamed at a public pool in Wood River, Illinois, for breastfeeding her daughter.
A manager told her she was offending others in the area. Her response was amazing. "I told him, I'm not going to cover my daughter's head in 90-degree weather — should the people at the food court also cover up?'"
Although the public pool's management apologized, the insensitive damage had been done.
Perception of Motherhood in Africa
In Africa, women carry their babies and infants on their backs. They are praised for it. In fact, motherhood is a cherished phenomenon in Africa - Nigeria, in this case.
In Yoruba, and the phrase 'Iya ni wura' which means 'A mother is gold' highlights the threshold esteemed mothers were held to.
Nigerian mothers get preferential treatment on this soil – or they used to. You see people treating 'Iya aburo' which roughly means 'a nursing mother' with incredible care.
In a taxi, they receive goodwill. Whenever they want to get into a cab, you see people helping the guide the heads of infants on their backs, so they don't hit their heads against the rusty danfo metal.
What is wrong with public breastfeeding?
Public breastfeeding was fairly accepted in Nigeria. So why the sudden goalpost shift?
Life is hard enough as it is and nursing a child is even harder. Women are warriors, we should treat them as such.
John-George, a 29-year-old Lagos Pharmacist blames "Enlightenment. It has its good and bad sides".
Yes, nothing is perfect but should 'wokeness' be blamed for insensitivity? We are used to public breastfeeding and even praise nursing mothers. So, why the sudden change in attitude?
It seems a sad state of affairs that a woman like Jola, one of many victims of this continued judgment can't enjoy certain privileges of motherhood. After all, procreation is not an offence, is it?
In August 2016, an article by Chukwuma Muanya and Ruth Adekunle for The Guardian revealed that only 17 percent of nursing Nigerian mothers still breastfeed their infants.
The article also revealed the attitude of the World Health Organization (WHO) to help women breastfeed anytime and anywhere.
In the same article, 68-year-old Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RDN), Mrs Ede-Osondu, attributes this low statistic to lack of support and societal influences a.k.a 'cover-up'.
It's a worrying statistic. Research has shown that breast milk boosts IQ and the immune system while reducing risks of ovarian cancer in mothers.
Why Do People Take Offence?
In October 2011, a thread on Nigerian discussion platform, Nairaland discussed this issue.
A femmy2010 said, "For me, I do say Public breastfeeding is not appropriate because it violates common standards of decency. What is the take on NLers on this?"
Another user, MissIfe replied
"It depends how it's done. I occasionally had to breastfeed in public, but nobody ever saw my breast, I used to carry a large scarf to cover the baby's head."
Everyone seems to be obsessed with 'cover-up'. Another user hotstepper said "people can buy the nursing canopy, very essential". Really? Carry canopy around, just to breastfeed?
Deji, an entrepreneur and staunch critique who believes public breastfeeding as "irresponsible and not befitting of a married woman. Her body should not be revealed to the public like that" he tells Colossus Gists.
Chigozie, a 64-year-old medical practitioner has a different perspective;
"Breastfeeding isn't sexy. You would find that a significant amount of critics are men. People think it's public nudity - an indecency. But if they evaluate well, they will realize that public breastfeeding is usually more of a need than a choice. Some say it's laziness, but special dispensation should be granted to women over the need, it should be a right."
Indecency needs intention as a fundamental ingredient. While some women or men think their indecency is 'fashionable', without proper evaluation of the optics, it still is indecency.
But then, should feed a fragile infant, whose sole mode of communication is crying not far outweigh our moral compasses for critiquing? I think it should.
The Guardian - The primary way of feeding an infant is through breastfeeding
Publicly revealing a boob or two isn't usually a fashionable choice. It is to quench the hunger of a human being. That one we all feel when we complain about needing to eat.
In the words of Míriam, a 46-year-old architect
"I think some of these men don't understand how hard it is to be a nursing mother. Asides the pressures that change your life, you might have a child crying his eyes out. That puts you under immense pressure. Mothers are fragile and they panic easily.
"Their major instinct is to just stop that kid from crying because it helps sometimes. It can be a little unfair to then ask the mother to move, despite all her pressure. Make no mistake, it's also not easy for some mothers to reveal their boobs in public, they just have to do it. Insecurities have nothing on necessity."
Remember, Chigozie says "breastfeeding isn't sexy". Despite the male obsession with boobs, it's crazy how some of are the greatest critics of public breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is one of the few acts of 'breast reveal that some men complain about.
Sometimes, I ask myself; Will the guy, so against public breastfeeding complain if it were Beyonce or some peng thing breastfeeding?
What is offensive about nudity and boobs?
Chigozie says "there's perversion in every man." and I agree. We have all fed our eyes to pornographic images at one time or the other.
In fact, female nudity of any kind gets the average, healthy heterosexual male 'going'.
Breasts are highly sexualized. It is because of the way we perceive breasts and nipples as merely erotic objects that gave birth to the #freethenipple movement.
Paper Blog - The Free The Nipple Campaign was created in 2012 to fight against the overt sexualization of breasts
It seems men are against public breastfeeding because they're probably not attracted to the boobs or because breastfeeding isn't a sexual act. You like seeing breasts, but hate it when it comes to breastfeeding. It's a compelling case, isn't it?
If you can't see breasts as anything more than sexual props or objects of lust, you won't understand why breasts are also a medium of feeding. I lean towards thinking it's a case of lack of deep evaluation.
Arguably, breasts are first, feeding mechanisms than anything else.
Yes, the penis and the vagina are also used to pee and birth children, and that doesn't necessarily reflect their sexual nature, but none of them are for quenching as base an instinct as feeding.
You can only take offence to public breastfeeding if the only thing you see breasts as is sexual objects, never to be revealed in public. If you understood the feeding functionality of breasts you'd perceive them differently. You would take less offence to see breasts in public, for the purpose of feeding an innocent infant. You wouldn't think it irresponsible to reveal a sexual prop in public.
As long as you see breasts as simply sexual objects that only trigger provocation and attention, you would continue to bash public breastfeeding.
Source
Pulse
Against the backdrop of civil strife occasioned by small portion of land, which results in communal clashes in 13 communities in Cross River State, leading to 13,000 being displaced, 617 houses burnt with 27 deaths recorded. Richard Ndoma writes.
If there is anything on earth that impedes the progress of men and retards the development of mankind, it is war! This may come in form of external and internal aggression from a particular country and its neighbour. A country is said to be at war when lawlessness moves to its peak with people resorting to the killing of one another, looting and destroying property without having any second thought that actions of such nature are evil.
Whenever a country decides to engage itself or her neighbours in a war, there is tendency for development in such an environment to retard and make people who cohabits the country to become poor, thus forcing the socio-economic situation of those engaged in the war to move anti-clock wise given the fact that every economic activity in the place may be at a standstill.
Cross River State is one of the states in Nigeria that is known for its peace and serenity, right from time immemorial. This is why in the past, it was difficult for any individual to come by any media report in the print or electronic media that portrays the state as a violent entity. Tales associated with civil disturbances, assassination, kidnapping and heinous crimes of all sorts were hardly heard in the state, tales of such nature were never associated with the state. Perhaps that accounted for the reason the founding fathers of the state, in their effort to proffer meaning to Calabar, the state capital, described it as, ”Come and Live and Be At Rest (Calabar)”.
However, the reverse has become the case in recent times. The state , which was well known for its glory, is beginning to lose its glory to violence. The peace and serenity, which the state was well known for, is almost gone. For some time now, Cross River State has become a fountain for communal crises/civil disturbance.
The level of destruction has assumed an alarming rate. At the last count beginning from January this year, 2018, the state has recorded 27 deaths even though critics of the government have a different figure, 617 houses burnt to ashes with about 13,000 individuals who hitherto reside in the state being displaced, a development, which tends to increase the number of Internally Displace Person (IDPs). Cross River State Director General, State Emergency Management Agency, Mr John Inaku, stated that about 13 communities across the three senatorial districts of the state, have been ravaged by war, which occurs due to small parcel of land.
According to Inaku, who reeled out the information to our reporter, he lamented that the state government has spent about 70 million naira trying to provide succour to victims of the civil unrest, adding that items like food, medicine and clothing and make shift shelter have been provided by the state government through the state deputy governor and called on the National Boundary Commission to, without delay, wade into the matter to forestall recurrent of the civil unrest.
Inaku blamed the National Boundary Commission for failing in the area of providing beacon stones to demarcate the boundaries. He said that unless something is urgently done to salvage the situation, war will perpetually remain with Nigeria.
He said that state government has, through the army authority, dispatched troops to go and restore peace in another war, which suddenly broke out in the state between Vandeikya people of Benue State and the Obudu people of Cross River.
The SEMA DG, called on leaders of thought from all warring communities to appeal to their kinsmen not to quickly take to arms whenever disagreements ensue over small parcel of lands but learn to settle maters on round table discussion.
Those watching events in the society say that the government of the day has lost control otherwise why would there be war everywhere on daily basis without the government being able to extinguish the war?
It is common these days when flipping through the pages of newspaper to read about communal clashes which have eluded the peace of the state being chronicled down on the pages of papers concerning communities which had co-existed in the past as friends but are now at loggerheads with each other.
A top member of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Sir Joe Ekeng, chastised Prof Ben Ayade-led Government of being inept and weak to put an end to communal clashes, which according to him, have skyrocketed since Ayade’s administration came on board.The DG of SEMA said he discovered that the Izzi people of Ebonyi attacked Ukelle community three times in the 10 days he spent in the senatorial district to take stock of the extent of the damage and accused the Izzi people of putting up a violent behaviour even when the Cross River State government is working round the clock to reduce agony of the victims.
Among the losses counted by him, incurred by the victims of war in Cross River State, were buildings, farmlands, cattle and economic trees valued also at millions of naira which were brought down as a result of the civil disturbances, forcing several aged people, including women and children to be displaced compelling them to quit their place of origin to take refuge in neighbouring villages.
In Cross River State, causes of communal clashes are attributed to disputes which emanate as a result of disagreements which break out over small portions of land which cannot even be valued at a huge amount but at cheap prices. There are reported cases of matters, which have led communities into war, matters that ordinarily would have been swept under the carpet or at most, shunned by communities involved in the crises.
An example, is the case of Akparabong community in Ikom Local Government of Cross River State and her neighbouring village, Bendeghe Ekiem, which fought each other over a very small parcel of land purported to be used by a councilor from Bendeghe community for construction of a minibus top for residents of both communities to take refuge under. It was a pathetic case.
Youths from both communities resorted and accused the councillor of usurping their parcel of land, which, if valued in terms of naira and kobo, would not be close to N100,000. A crisis that forced many to their untimely graves, with many injured and several storey buildings burnt down to ashes with several cocoa stores worth millions of cash being looted during the unrest.
Recently, Esuk Mba, a community which is about 10 kilometres from Calabar, the capital city of the state, in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, had its own share of the trouble.
One of the youth leaders, Etete Offiong Bassey, was almost beaten to death by some aggrieved youth over a disagreement, which broke over levies receipt for market stalls and also for daring to oppose the candidate of their choice to occupy a chieftaincy stool in the area. The matter has caused residents of the village to desert the community for their dear lives.
As small as a parcel of land can be, locals hardly tolerate their neighbours, they quickly resort to arms, and slay people from neighbouring communities just for a mere piece of land that might not reach up to one hectare or N100, 000.00. These are simple disagreements, which could have been resolved in a round table discussion without resorting to violence.
A cursory look into the immediate and remote causes of communal clashes, which had negatively impacted on the economy of Cross River State, bringing the economy to its knees as a result of skirmishes between neighbouring communities in recent times, is attributed to cult clashes among different cult groups who flex muscles to prove their supremacy among their rival groups. On several occasions, cultists have dragged their communities to war over little scores, which could have been amicably resolved on a round table discussion just because they want to exhibit their ego.
The number of breaks of violence has wrecked pain and sour taste in the mouths of many, particularly the warring communities of Ukelle and their Izzi counterpart as each side is counting human and material loses. In what seems to look like contradiction on the number of death against the figures given by the SEMA DG, those who spoke contrary to his opinion, claimed that about 30 are said to have lost their lives in the said skirmishes with 1,500 houses razed and 8,000 aged women and children displaced, leaving the communities in tattered condition as a result of losing their yam bans, cassava farms, plantain orchards, poultry farms, and fish ponds destroyed leaving the atmosphere with no peace to breath.
Other communities who had joined the bandwagon for war in the state include Nkim and Nkum said to be brothers with the same ancestral spirit in Ikom Local Government in the central senatorial district of the state had also suffered. In 2016, about10 communities in the area fought one another just for mere piece of land.
In Yala, Oyoba village in Wanikande and Ehetzi of Wanihen communities of Ukele fought each other until soldiers came and rescued them. In Obubra, inyima and their neighboring village of Onyedama, Owakande the villages fought and left several injured.
In Ogoja, Ukpe and Mgbegede, Yakkur Nko and Mkpani villages of chief of Naval staff, Ita Ibok Ibas and the community of the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani and former governor, Clement Ebri of Cross River State, also took to each other’s throats for mere parcel of land leaving many scores with various degrees of injuries.
In Obudu where the governor of the state, Prof Ben Ayade hails from, Kutia and Okurtong were not left out in the fighting spree as theirs was in 2012.
In retrospect, the communities involved in these skirmishes have always had longstanding relationship in terms of co-habiting on the same land peacefully until disagreement broke out when claims and counterclaims of mistrust, land grabbing and oppressive tendencies crept in, leaving many dead with houses erected with hard earned currency razed down to ashes; scores of livestock, economic trees and farmlands being smashed down.
The war had brought a big burden to the federal government as it is forced to overstretch the security agents and government has to spend extra money to mobilise soldiers and anti-riot policemen to places of disturbances. Perhaps this accounts for the reason several policemen have been stationed in the troubled areas like the Abakaliki- Ogoja Trans Sahara Highway.
Unfortunately, security agents in that axis seem to have turned the place to an extortion point as the obstacles mounted at several points on the road are being turned to collection points for illegal receipts of taxes from motorists who ply that route with the security agents doing the contrary to the reason for which they were assigned to the checkpoints without stopping youths in the area from engaging in squabbles and acts inimical to the peace of the area.
Mr John Odama an indigene of Ukelle, who claimed to be one of the warriors, said he migrated to Calabar, the state capital, as a result of the skirmishes to live with his elder brother. According to him, on a visit to the village, one could hardly see any building that was still complete and good for habitation, stressing that almost every one had fled the village because of the level of destruction, saying no human local had remained in the village except the soldiers who are seen at strategic checkpoints.
Those watching affairs in the state claimed that the number of wars, which has eluded the peace in the state, could have been averted if certain rules of agreements reached by community founding fathers were kept.
Just as in the war which broke out between Ukelle in Cross River State and Izzi in Ebonyi State about two weeks ago, if both communities had kept the content of agreement reached by previous administrations of Dr Sam Egwu of Ebonyi State and that of Donald Duke of Cross River State, as a result of the peace which was brokered by the then two governors, the war would have been averted.
On why the war in Ukelle and Izzi broke out, the warrior maintained that Izzi youths were to be blamed for the crises that happened two weeks ago stressing that in March 2017, yams which were sprouting in the farm of one of their community chiefs by name Chief Stephen Odom, was butchered by Izzi youths and they didn’t react, adding that Ukelle community reported the matter to the police who were in the area.
Unfortunately, nothing was done to pacify the owner of the farm. Again, the warrior added that in January this year 2018, more farmlands belonging to his kinsmen were destroyed in Okpodon Ntrigom along with the house of one Mr James Obo and another building belonging to Malachy Odom was also destroyed by violent Izzi youths whose stock in trade was to ferment trouble.
He said that the neighbours of Izzi had brought them pain and anguish to the extent that they didn’t know what to do but to defend themselves.
However, apart from the former governor of Cross River State, Sen Liyel Imoke, the current senator representing Cross River Central at the National Assembly, former FCT police boss, Mr Lawrence Alobi, and Gen Moses Obi Rtd, Sen Victor Ndoma-Egba, who were said to have made several efforts to resolve the skirmishes by calling several warring factions to see reasons why taking up arms should not be seen as a necessity in settling disagreements, the state government, under the watch of the state deputy governor, who is now the acting governor, Prof Ivara Esu, made a visit to the Ukelle community where food items and medical attention were given to the displaced people through the state Primary Health Care Development Agency under the auspices of Dr Betta Edu.
The acting governor told the people that war was not a better way to resolve conflict, adding that matters are better resolved on a round table discussion instead of resorting to violence, which dragged the entire community to untold hardship or instant death.
But the Police Public Relations officer, (PPRO) Irene Ugbo, in her reaction to allegations by some members of the public that the police was not doing enough in the business of protecting lives and property , debunked the allegations and said that the police had always worked round the clock to ensure peace and stability reign in the land, adding that a detachment of Mobil policemen have been dispatched to tackle the situation in the war torn area and called on the state government to collaborate with authority of the police command so that sanity can be restored in the war torn areas in the state.
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