The traditional ruler of Effium Autonomous Community in Ebonyi State, Ogaba Idu IV, Sunday Aliba, has urgently appealed to state and national emergency management agencies for support to rebuild his community following a years-long intra-communal conflict.
King Aliba made the plea during ceremonies marking his first anniversary as monarch at the Effium Cultural Centre. While confirming that peace has been restored since the 2021 crisis, he stressed that significant humanitarian challenges persist and critical infrastructure remains destroyed.
He specifically called on the Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide immediate relief, including food and medical supplies, for displaced persons, widows, orphans, and the elderly. The monarch noted that roads, schools, hospitals, and homes were severely impacted during the conflict, leaving many residents vulnerable.
King Aliba expressed gratitude to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for his role in restoring peace. He described the anniversary as a “new beginning” and urged community members—youths, women, and elders—to unite and sustain the peace to enable economic recovery.
As part of a broader development initiative, the monarch inaugurated 96 individuals into various leadership councils, including his cabinet, pledging close collaboration to drive progress.
The event’s chairman, Clement Odah, represented by Omenka Nicodemus, a Special Assistant to the Governor on Rural Development, commended the turnout and encouraged collective rebuilding efforts. Dignitaries from neighboring communities in Benue State and traditional rulers from nearby Izhia communities also attended.
The appeal underscores the lingering humanitarian and reconstruction needs in Effium despite the return of stability, highlighting a reliance on government and agency intervention for comprehensive recovery.
