Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The lingering crisis over regulation of prayers by the government-appointed general market union body in Anambra, ASMATA assumed another dimension yesterday at Onitsha bridgehead drug market, Ogbogwu when a newly appointed market evangelism group took over the general prayer session in the market.
A mild drama that nearly turned violent ensued at the Main Line of the Ogbogwu market when members of the erstwhile market evangelism group turned out for their Wednesday prayers only to discover that the chairs already arranged on Tuesday evening have been taken away by the market taskforce.
In their stead, the market caretaker committee led by Chikezie Anthony Ezioba had constituted another set of market evangelism group led by Sir Chukwuemeka Onyeoziri who had already swung into action by hiring new sets of chairs and sound equipments and also invited an Anglican cleric billed to preach for the day who was already on standby.
There were war of words between the two groups and the atmosphere became charged until the Vice Chairman of ASMATA, Onitsha zone, Sam Emeka and the task force leader, Obele Prince Chibuzor Nwokeji took charge of the situation and prevailed on both camps to sheathe their swords and diplomatically allowed the newly constituted evangelism committee to take over.
The guest speaker during the prayer session, Rev. Cannon John Chukwudalu Okafor who preached and prayed extensively warned the traders to be mindful of the fact that the Onitsha bridgehead drug market is a rallying point for the Igbo since no such market harbours such large number of traders dealing on medical products in the entire south east.
The caretaker committee appointed leader of the new market evangelism group, Chukwuemeka Onyeoziri in a remark said they were not fighting anybody but only doing the bidding of the market leaders who represents the government.
But leader of the erstwhile Ogbogwu Market evangelism, Collins Umahi in a remark said the evangelism affairs in the market which has been in existence for the past 20 years should not be allowed to be hijacked by the market union with some ulterior motives. He called for government action on the situation and for a democratically elected executive to take over the market.
Vice Chairman of ASMATA, Onitsha Zone, Sam Emeka who stood in for the President General, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu described the incident as a minor squabble over who will conduct the market prayers but said that dialogue will be applied even as he warned that nobody should disrupt the activities of the monthly prayers henceforth.