Administrative Reorganization of Guneku Village; Opposition in Sang Quarter

Administrative Reorganization of Guneku Village; Opposition in Sang Quarter

As the countdown to the official installation of the newly elected quarter councillors of the various quarters that make up Guneku village draws nearer, the last bends of the administrative reorganisation exercise are being negotiated. For a couple of weeks, a team put in place by the Fon of the village, H.R.H Ticha W. Fomuki has been criss crossing the various quarters in upper, lower and central Guneku to execute the Fon's orders though all the team members weren't there from the beginning and not all who started ended.

After the first week of the exercise that started in Fun quarter on Thursday 25 July and was due to end on Monday the 19th in Fringyeng, due to absenteeism or low voter turn out in some quarters, a rerun was ordered to be exceptionally conducted in such quarters afterwards in such such quaters. It was for this reason that Mr. Ndingwan Primus, the Guneku traditional council chairman and Mr. Amamuki Jonathan, the Njinebai quarter head descended to Sang quarter on Thursday July 22nd 2021 for the rerun exercise. 

Council Chairman and Njinebai Quarter Head struggling to lift up the GUDECA Bike After they Fell on the Mukan Hill on their Way Back from the Field

The turnout in the quarter head's compound was relatively good. At the start, it seemed like some persons were already earmarked to be presented as elected councillors that shall represent Sang quarter in the Zone 3 Council and thereafter in the Guneku Traditional Council, this without the consent of the villagers. Sensing something fishy, the visiting delegation ordered that fresh elections be conducted there and then beginning with nominations and then voting, a decision that was agreed by all. 

Three men and three women gained nomination. They were ordered to move out of the hall while voting was done by show of hand with eyes closed and heads bended so that no one gets to know who voted for who. At the end of the exercise, three out of the six candidates gained promotion to progress from the Sang quarter council to the Zone 3 council and thereafter to the village council. They were: Mr. Bah Valentine, Madam Julia Forkwen and Mr. John Ndakwe.

Voter's Turn Out in Sang

Having proclaimed the results and the newly voted applauded, when all thought the exercise was free and fair, one Pa Fokwen Andrew stood up and challenged the results, refusing categorically that he doesn't recognise them. Speaking to Mbengwi Online, he said "Firstly, before conducting the election, they never told us the total number of voters in the hall. Secondly, how should I be convinced that my vote was counted and for the candidate I wanted when I closed my eyes and bowed my head? Thirdly, this exercise wasn't supposed to be conducted in a haste since it's geared towards the development of the village. We would've first known the total number of villagers and compare to that of the voters that turned out to ascertain if a quorum was met or not."

He will still continue venting his discontentment by proposing what would've been done. Hear him, "Again, since we couldn't have ballot papers and boxes, we would've used our own local items like grains of beans, maize and groundnut which are readily available. Each of these seeds would've been allocated to a particular candidate so that for example if I were to stand for election and my seed is groundnut, voters that want me will go and put groundnut in a given basket or container after which the seeds will then be counted under the watchful eyes of all. This way, I would've been better convinced that my vote was counted or not. That's my main worry."

Pa Forkwen Andrew, the Disgruntled Voter

Bah Valentine, Voted to Represent Sang Quarter in the Zonal/Traditional Council

While Pa Andrew helplessly protested the results alone, to the rest like Mr. Bah Valentine Mukiawah that was voted, it was a fair election. Cornered for his reaction after being elected, he expressed surprise with the decision of the electorate. He said "When I was coming, I didn't even ever imagined I'll be one of the councillors but since God has made it this way, I'll first of all thank my people for electing me to go to where I'm going and I'll also pray to the Almighty God to continue to guide and protect me so that I'm again elected to progress from the zonal council finally to the Guneku traditional council"

Having documented the results from Sang quarter, the two-men delegation progressed to Munam for the same rerun exercise but unfortunately, for the second time, the people weren't present. The quarter head here confirmed the people were notified but reasons they didn't show up could be attributed to an impromptu funeral that occurred in neighbouring Kimbot quater and that some WhatsApp voice notes were circulated calling on the people to discard the ongoing reorganisation exercise being carried out by the fon of Guneku. Munam it should be noted has always been a disputed area said to be having subjects belonging to Guneku, Nyen, Zang Tembeng, Wumnemburg and Njinibi villages respectively. Others are those who want Munam to stand on it's own as a full fletched village and enthrone its own fon so that no fon continues claiming ownership of the area. It's almost the same situation too in Sang that's divided in opinion between those who want independence and those who want to still belong to their ancestral roots.

Some Sang Voters

The Three Newly Elected Councillors to Represent Sang Quarter in the Zonal Council

The last quarter that received the delegation on this Thursday the 22nd was Kimbot. The people were met at the impromptu funeral earlier on mentioned somewhere in this report to have occurred thus disrupting the initial plan. When Mbengwi Online met the Kimbot quarter head, Pa Ndip Christopher Chi, we wanted to first know from him how life in such a remote area is especially during this crisis period that's caused and increase in rural urban migration and insecurity plus an economic meltdown.

He said "There's life here in Kimbot but for lack of good roads especially when we have to take patients to the hospital. Here, we mostly do farming. We have enough plantains, palm oil, garri but transportation remains a major problem because of the nature of the road. Some buyers come and offer us very low prices for our produce, transport them on their heads to go resell and make good money while we the main producers are left with nothing very little income." Socially, the people of Kimbot have a Presbyterian Church where they worship. They also have the Aje'eh market in Munam where they go do business weekly. He ended by pleading with Kimbot sons and daughter out of home to always think about them that are back home  as they are barely struggling with life to make ends meet.

Kimbot Quarter Representatives 

Pa Ndip Christopher Chi, Kimbot Quarter Chairman 

Having completed its mission of the day, the delegation will then return, under heavy rain fall, sliding off their motor bike and falling along the way because of slippery and bumpy road network yet they were happy and satisfied in executing the Fon's orders. All attention is now titled towards the official installation ceremony of the newly elected councillors, built for the 30th of July 2021 in the Guneku palace. Some villages up till now haven't yet partaken in the exercise. The Fon has said those that want to stay behind should stay, when they feel as to Comecon board to join the moving train, the doors will be opened for them.