Afikpo North is a Local Government Area of the main Afikpo. It's the second city of Ebonyi state Nigeria. Afikpo a place of my birth and my life home base. I went to the market today, the market is called Eke market located at the center of Afikpo (Ehugbo) and I saw many people running everywhere. To my notice as I asked what was wrong, I was told that some group of person's were instructed by the elders of the community known as Esaa Ehugbo to shave/cut people's hair, cut people's dress, beat people who didn't go to school, beat girls below eighteen years old found with a man. The mentioned points are my rant and complain.
Cutting of people's hair I was told that the Esaa Ehugbo of Afikpo instructed some youths to cut people who dye their hair, drey luck their hair, or kept long hair. After they are done cutting your hair, you'll be asked to pay the sum of #5,000. According the people cutting the hair, the money the person found guilty will pay is as a means to show love for them cutting your hair.
My rant and complain for the cutting of people's hair in the public is very wrong by me. My reason is that there's no place in the Nigeria constitution that stipulated that people who dye, drey luck, and have long hairs should be cut in the public by any group or forces. Now that such act is not in the Nigeria constitution, I thereby consider it not a good measure to follow the public.
What of the time they're shaving or cutting a person's hair with force and the scissors they're using injure the person. Now, the same scissors they're using in cutting a person's hair is what they have been using to cut everyone. One scissors may injure a person carrying one disease that can be transferred to a person through sharp object like scissors.
Another thing is that a guy who refused them was beating and rushed to the hospital. My complain is that did the guy stole anyone's property and now who'll pay the hospital bills. I'm suggesting that my community should look into such decree they pass through the Esaa Ehugbo in order not to cause problem among the citizens of the community.
Cutting of people's dress The Esaa Ehugbo also instructed some youths to cut women's dress been short skirt or trousers considered wrong. I saw how a lady was humiliated in the market by the youths sent an errand by the Esaa Ehugbo. Her skirt, and top was toured with scissors by the youths. She was also beating with a heavy cane when she tried proving stubborn. As her top and skirt was toured, it was a woman who sales Okirika clothes that helped her with some dress she later used to cover herself.
My rant and complain on the cutting of women's dresses is that what of if the woman is not putting on pant and bra, what will the youths who cut her dress do. Will they be happy to see a woman been made naked in the public by them. This is a nonsense method by me because the Esaa Ehugbo should find another good measure to address women on the issues of wearing dresses because one day, those youths will make a married woman naked in the public who didn't offend them in any way.
Beating of people who didn't go to school The Esaa Ehugbo also instructed some youths to beat the hell out of any adolescent person who were found in the house when others are in school. I saw in the Eke market of Afikpo how some adolescent people who were helping their mother sale in the market running up and down because the saw the Esaa Ehugbo tax force.
My rant and complain on the issues of beating the adolescent people is that what of the person in question doesn't have money to pay school fees and he's in the house or the person's parents asked the person to wait and help them do work, what will the Esaa Ehugbo tax force do such person. A lot of adolescence people were humiliated in the market today just because the don't have anyone to speak on their behalf.
CONCLUSION I don't think the issues raised by the Esaa Ehugbo on cutting of people's hair, beating the adolescent not in school, cutting women's short skirt, and more is what's troubling the entire community for years. Since 2014, Afikpo (Ehugbo) have not have electricity and the people have been in the dark. I suggest the Esaa Ehugbo should use the same energy to call the state government to help them secure constant Electricity.
In the community, there's high rate of alcohol drinking among the youths especially that of mkpuru mmiri and smoking of indian hemp. The Esaa Ehugbo should enforce a law that'll ban the selling of local made alcohol and smoking of indian hemp. Locally made alcohol has taking so many lives and have put some youths into cashless. Ehugbo will be better some days to come and I hope we'll achieve the good aims.
