A ONCE LAND OF GLORY
There is this saying; “He that wear fed red cap never knows how reddish it
is but by the passer by”. This is the land that was gifted peace, harmony
and love, from above. This land is known as Ebira-Opete but simply
called Ebiraland, the indigene of this land are fondly call Ebiras by the
neigbouring land occupants and worldwide. It is known to many that
people from this land, which is the Ebiras are equally blessed with
vigorous and virtuous by nature.
In the olden days as history recorded, commuters are not always happy if
an Ebira Man/Woman is not in their midst especially before commencing
a journey, they will be very glad if they sighted a son/daughter of the then
great soil/land (Ebiraland) because of their natural evil-free possession,
more also they are full of milk of human kindness.
Ebiraland was very good for its people (including strangers), it was
indeed a land of milk and honey then, as the elders kept themselves as one,
dine and wine together without any evil act attached and the people of
Ebiraland are so much habituated to the custom and culture of the land,
they maintained peace, find out the cause of any wrong deed and then
solve it out amicable.
The Ebira people are known for farming, weaving and trading as their
main occupation. The men of young, middle and old age (those that can
work) are those that farm, their wife and children help them in doing the
farm work. The children also carry out domestic work and help their
parents in their respective field of work, the women does the weaving,
some are full time house wife while some engaged in petty trading
including some men that choice trading.
When the colonial masters arrived this promise land; Ebiraland, those that
have enough courage gave out their children to the world of education, while
those that felt education would take away their children from them totally,
refused because they are so ignorant of what education is all about, as they
mean no amount of persuasion will convince them, they rather remained
adamant, until they are made to understand that education adds beauty to
peoples' life and place. They are also made to known that educating the youth
would make Ebiraland more suitable for leaving because with education,
there will be more inventions like technology; to make life easier and
accommodating, it was after much enlightening that they were convinced, so
they welcome education and since then that have been, as if is part of the
peoples' culture the way they embrace education. The writer will now put a
stop to the description of this blessed and land of beauty, as a day will not be
enough for narrating it's olden days affair.
What made the writer to pick up her writing tools this moment is based on the
corruption and atrocities that have enfeeble the Ebiraland and its
people. All what highlights the then Ebira-Opete are now the opposite form
of life of the land and its people. Some of the traditional rights are been
terminated as the youth of this generation pay no attention to the culture and
tradition of the land.
The social life of Ebira people are not as it were before, people are civilized
and not expected to still maintain the life of our forefathers but there are some
things that should not left out. For instance, the traditional festivities are
been jeopardized by the nowadays people of Ebiraland.
The laws of the land are not strictly adhere to any longer as the youth that
suppose to embrace more peace and make the land a better place and home to
live turn their deaf ears on some elderly advice, they engaged in killing
themselves and the innocent ones all in the name of Political and Clannish
interest.
The land of Milk and Honey, the so full milk and human kindness
environment and people, turned a nasty land. Strangers and Commuter now
afraid their being to and passing through Ebiraland to their respective home
as they may involve in the killing of people taking place mostly the Central
Area of Ebiraland (Okene), since they may lost their lives or being harmed.
Any Ebira man/woman in the midst of other people must be ashamed of
him/herself as he or she will notice people pointing and gesturing about
him/her, people now dubbed us “wicked people” whereas that is an opposite
form of who we are, we are no longer appreciated in and outside our land.
People now diddle one another. The reputation of our forefathers is now
smeared due to our way of leaving life nowadays. This was the land they
made a good place for people of their time and generation to come,
happening to be that, we are the generation they made the name for, should
have made us to add more suitable taste to the name and not as we have
stained our image.
Few among the youths that now emerge trying to promote Ebiraland in their
own little way with their knowledge and research are left behind as they are
facing financial challenges. Very few among the wealthy class of people are
helping the needy. Those youth engaged on different fields; some ventured
into Entertainment and ebiraland is rated higher for that, so many lives
have been saved through some NGO because some choose Charity work
and Journalism is not left out.
The writer now seize this opportunity to seek favour from God almighty
because; When a case is more than human to handle, we call on God to help
us, when things are heavier for human to carry we are to call on God to help
reduce the weight and when things are damaged we are to call on God
Almighty to help us reconstruct it. Almighty God bestow on us, a light to
wipe away this darkness on our way, give us the power to retrieve our lost
glory, makes Ebiraland a place worthy of leaving, kindly restore it feeble
strength and revive its worth.
I also pray that Almighty God will listen to our cry and make it a better place
for us, may He bless and give those youth and the other helping hand more
courage to do more and also touch the heart of others to engage in something
doing too.
By: Umar Sanat
Abuja.
Agent Phone Number: 08137206996
Agent Email: oziprime@yahoo.com
Agent ID: 00040
