Mary Akanbi
16th April, 2025
By Amadi Ekwutosilam Njoku
In the serene lowlands of Ebonyi State lie Amasiri and Edda. They are two communities in Afikpo North and Afikpo South with deeply interwoven cultures and histories. Yet today, the bond that once symbolized hospitality and brotherhood has become frayed by dispute, suspicion, and, sadly, violence.
Recent reports of clashes and killings, including the wounding of innocent residents in Okporo Ujor, Inyima, and Ọsọ Amasiri have reignited old tensions. These are not just land skirmishes–they are ruptures of peace in a region that once stood as a beacon of cultural pride and ancestral harmony.
But how did we get here?
The oral history of Amasiri tells of a time when the Edda people, weary and worn, arrived from Nguzu and Ekoli. They came as hunters and fruit cutters, their cracked heels and dulled machetes bearing witness to hardship. Moved by compassion, Amasiri’s forefathers granted them temporary settlements on wildlands: Okporo Ujor, Ọsọ, and Inyima. These lands were not given by conquest or treaty but by empathy.
Over time, however, those guest settlements began to transform, names were changed, historical truths buried, and boundary lines blurred. Okporo Ujor, the “dangerous pathway” given in kindness, was renamed “Okporojo.” Ọsọ Amasiri became Ọsọ Edda while Inyima was changed to Idima. What began as cohabitation, slowly shifted into contestation.
Today, as misinformation spreads across social media and the real-world consequences pile up, we mustn’t allow this story to become one of irreversible fracture.
This is a time for leadership. A time for truth. And above all, a time for peace.
We respectfully call on the National Boundary Commission to step in immediately. The commission should be proactive and not wait for the two communities to go into a full-blown war before acting. The commission must send experts to investigate the land history and physical boundaries of “Okporo Ujor” now renamed Okporojo, Ọsọ, and Inyima. Oral covenants, cultural artifacts, and boundary stones should be examined not just as relics, but as legal and moral signposts of history.
More importantly, we appeal to His Excellency, Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to rise above political pressures and act as a father to all communities in Ebonyi. The time has come to convene a peace summit; one that brings together the traditional rulers of Amasiri and Edda, leaders of thought, youth representatives, clergy, and civil society. Such a meeting must not end in vague resolutions but produce a signed Peace and Boundary Accord that both communities will respect and defend.
The government must also ensure that both parties refrain from provocative actions. All forms of incitement, especially on digital platforms, must be discouraged. Violence must be condemned; whether it comes from Amasiri or Edda. Justice must not be one-sided. Fairness must be the guiding principle.
As a cultural advocate and son of Amasiri, I do not write to reopen old wounds. I write to preserve the fragile peace that still exists. We must remember that what was given in mercy must not be twisted into aggression. No community should rewrite history to justify encroachment. But equally, no community should take pride in retaliation. Let truth be spoken boldly, but let peace be pursued humbly.
Amasiri and Edda have more to gain in unity than in hostility. The ancestors are watching. The nation is watching. The future generations deserve better if not best.
Let history not remember us as those who inherited peace but handed down strife.
~Amadi Ekwutosilam Njoku is a cultural writer and multiple award-winning author of The Invincible Will.
