His Royal Majesty, Agaba’idu Elaigwu Odogbo John (Och’Idoma V), the Och’Idoma and President of the Idoma Area Traditional Council, has cautioned that bitterness, disunity, and irresponsible behavior among the people are undermining the Idoma Kingdom and exacerbating insecurity.
In his New Year message to the Idoma Nation on January 1, 2026, the royal father expressed that internal conflicts, rumors, and lingering grievances now represent significant threats to peace and development in the region, emphasizing the need for urgent action.
“I encourage every Idoma son and daughter to set aside bitterness, pursue reconciliation where peace can be restored, and recognize that the strength of a community starts at home,” the Och’Idoma stated.
He warned that communities where hatred, rivalry, and silence are allowed to grow become easy prey for criminal elements, noting that many long-standing divisions originated from minor misunderstandings that were never addressed.
“As we enter 2026, I speak as a father to his children about forgiveness and reconciliation. Many of our divisions did not start as wars. They began as misunderstandings, harsh words, rivalry, and pride,” he remarked, urging families, kindreds, councils, and associations to become hubs of peace. “Charity begins at home.”
The monarch also issued a stern warning to individuals and communities that harbor or protect criminals, stating that such behavior will no longer be tolerated. He mentioned that anyone found to be aiding criminal activities, either directly or indirectly, would face legal repercussions.
“Peace is not a gift that simply falls into a community. Peace is something that must be built. Security starts with responsible citizenship,” he stated, urging residents to stay alert, report threats promptly to security agencies, resist rumors and incitement, and refuse to protect criminal elements.
He emphasized that peace cannot flourish where criminals are sheltered and crucial intelligence is withheld from authorities.