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Okija Charity Stampede: Lawyer Faults Corrupt System, Overpopulation
Maduakolam stated this in Awka during the End-of-the-Year Forum organized by the Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office (ANCISRO) tagged, “Anambra Values…Marking Yuletide with the Solution Agenda”
He said the traditional means of distribution of items had since lost their integrity and no longer fit for such purposes.
According to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) specialist, the benefactor who could have prefered use of intermidiaries for the palliative distribution, decided to share the items directly to the beneficiaries to avoid any form of divertion.
He said, “For me, what caused the sad incident at Okija is the corruption of system. The traditional means of sharing things have lost integrity and not fit for the purpose.
“You find people who are agents, ward counselors and chairmen of kindred, after receiving the palliatives, rather than distribute them to those they were meant for, divert them to their personal use.
“Sometimes, the ones they divert are more than those they were asked to share. Hence, what is meant for the poor masses no longer gets to them. That is why the owners of the palliatives prefer sharing them directly with the beneficiaries.
“Another reason is that Okija at the moment is providing succor and shelter for people from other parts of Ihiala local government, especially Lilu, Osumorghu, Mbosi, Azia, Iseke and other communities that have been displaced as a result of insecurity.
“They now run to Okija that is relatively safe, without any preparations, including food. These are IDPs with no support from the government to cope with the ugly situation they find themselves.
“This is purely a failure of the system to cater for these vulnerable populations. With that level of hunger and deprivation, senses go on holidays as the last resort is to find food for survival.
“That’s why they could go to any length in search of food. You see nursing mothers, pregnant women struggle for food at all cost.”
While absolving the palliatives’ distributors from the ugly incident, Maduakolam, a native of the same Council Area argued that it was difficult to control the overwhelming crowd because the number was unanticipated, just as he noted that the best option would have been to postpone the rice distribution.
“Again, those meant to share the palliatives were overwhelmed by the crowd. Mind you, this incident didn’t happen at the time of sharing, but before. People arrived the venue as early as 4am and immediately the gate was opened, they started scampering.
“For me, those who shared the palliatives have no blame. They would have controlled the crowd if they had envisaged the number. The alternative would have been to postpone the distribution that day. But that’s where the system works.
“I call on the state government to rise to the ocassion by ensuring that the institutions of government, especially Ward Councilors in charge of palliatives’ distributions are made to be held accountable in the events of any leakages.
“I also appeal to those who are considering not distributing palliatives as a result of Okija stampede not to contemplate such a decision, while those who resort to criticisms should take it easy,” he said.
Also speaking, Deputy Director Planning Research and Strategy, National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the state, Chinedu Okwelogu, while expressing regrets over the loss of lives in the tragedy, condemned under-reporting of number of deaths recorded, describing it as criminal.
He urged law enforcement agents and the media to be careful with figures, especially on issues of deaths in view of its sensitivity.
He also dismissed reports alluding the tragic incident had ritual coloration, saying it was essentially as a result of impatience and lack of orderliness.
Another discussant and former National Vice President, Southeast, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Victor Agusiobo underscored the place of value reorientation of the citizenry, particularly law enforcement agents to ensure they carried out their duties with civility.
Earlier, the Managing Director, ANCISRO, Sir Chuka Nnabuife lamented the declining culture of obedience to law and order among residents, saying Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s vision of livable and prosperous homeland would be unrealizable where citizens ignore basic civic responsibilities.
He said the Agency was established to forestall increasing criminal activities, including arson, violence and other vices among the citizenry through education, enlightenment and informative ways, using channels of social communication relevant to both the ordinary residents and elites.
He said, “The way we are going, we would not achieve a livable and prosperous homeland if we continue without law and order and keep ignoring our civic responsibilities. Anambra’s ultimate greatness depends on these.
“All through the ages in history, great societies never toyed with maintaining orderliness through upholding their laws and encouraging citizens as well as sojourners to live up to their civic duties.
“Without keenness for law and order, a high sense of patriotism and such vital development factors as concern for the wellbeing of our land, genuine interest in our neighbours and hospitality, our land would not grow to a greater one.
“At best, we would get pockets of individual instances of richness but the larger society would remain impoverished. In such a situation, everyone would feel unconnected and the weak would feel increasingly, alienated, making them to infest their angst on society in the form of disenchantment, engaging in criminal activities such as arson, violence and other vices.
“In a bid to forestall these, the governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR established the Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office (ANCISRO) on September 1, 2024.
“ANCISRO has its chores clearly cut out as the name stipulates. It seeks to inspire and instill an enduring reformation of the values and social conduct of Ndi Anambra with the view of making the state livable and robustly prosperous.”
