By Chim Ogwutum
Her Royal Majesty, Chief (Mrs.) Evelyn Ada Gokpa Owa Eh Aleto- Nchia/Eleme 111
The Queen Mother of Eleme Kingdom, Her Royal Majesty, Chief (Mrs.) Evelyn Ada Gokpa Owa Eh Aleto- Nchia/Eleme 111, has lamented what she described as disturbing activities of the Fulani herdsmen and their cows in their farms. “These Fulani herdsmen and their cows are destroying our crops and raping our women in the farms, and doing other things that are abominable,” she cried, adding that the unfortunate situation is worrisome to Eleme women and Eleme Kingdom in general.
She said that the negative activities of these Fulanis and their cattle have been going on for a very long time unchallenged.
According to the Queen Mother, during the time of Chief Hon. Oji Nyime ate Ngofa, as chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, she alerted him of the situation and he immediately went into action calling a meeting of all the Eleme chiefs and the Fulani people in Eleme. The meeting, she said paid-off, as the disturbing activities of the herdsmen stopped.
She however, regretted that immediately Oji Ngofa left office, the disturbing activities of farm destruction and rape of community women, resumed in a no hold bar.
“Nobody cares about what our women are passing through in their various farms”, she lamented.
The Owa Eh Aleto- Nchia/Eleme 111, commended the effort of the men and women of Agbon-Nchia, who repelled the nefarious activities of the Fulani and their cows in their farms, stressing that the Agbon-Chia people on noticing that their menace, did not waste time in reporting the matter to the State Security Service, SSS, office at Alode. In Aleto, she said, it is a different situation, as nobody cares; rather they keep insinuating that as a woman she has no authority to question what is happening.
“You are a woman, who authorized you, why not consult us?” they ask her whereas in Agbon-Nchia, “the Agbon-Nchia men and women grouped themselves and went there and stopped it,” she said.
Her Majesty appealed to Eleme Local Government Area chairman, chiefs, elders, influential personalities, and relevant government authorities in the state, to come to their aide and stop the frequent menace of the herders and their cows on Eleme farms before it snowballs into a major crisis. She also decried the failure of the numerous corporate bodies operating in Eleme Kingdom to assist the women despite her varied efforts to get them to do so.
Eleme is host to over 250 corporate establishments in Eleme.
The traditional women leader said she will continue to champion the cause of women until success is achieved.
