A ONCE LAND OF GLORY

There is this saying; “He that wear fed red cap never knows how reddish it is but by the passer by”. This is the land that was gifted peace, harmony and love, from above. This land is known as Ebira-Opete but simply
called Ebiraland, the indigene of this land are fondly call Ebiras by the neigbouring land occupants and worldwide. It is known to many that  people from this land, which is the Ebiras are equally blessed with
vigorous and virtuous by nature.

In the olden days as history recorded, commuters are not always happy if an Ebira Man/Woman is not in their midst especially before commencing a journey, they will be very glad if they sighted a son/daughter of the then
great soil/land (Ebiraland) because of their natural evil-free possession, more also they are full of milk of human kindness.

Ebiraland was very good for its people (including strangers), it was indeed a land of milk and honey then, as the elders kept themselves as one, dine and wine together without any evil act attached and the people of
Ebiraland are so much habituated to the custom and culture of the land, they maintained peace, find out the cause of any wrong deed and then solve it out amicable.

The Ebira people are known for farming, weaving and trading as their main occupation. The men of young, middle and old age (those that can work) are those that farm, their wife and children help them in doing the
farm work. The children also carry out domestic work and help their parents in their respective field of work, the women does the weaving, some are full time house wife while some engaged in petty trading including some men that choice trading.

When the colonial masters arrived this promise land; Ebiraland, those that have enough courage gave out their children to the world of education, while those that felt education would take away their children from them totally, refused because they are so ignorant of what education is all about, as they mean no amount of persuasion will convince them, they rather remained adamant, until they are made to understand that education adds beauty to peoples' life and place. They are also made to known that educating the youth would make Ebiraland more suitable for leaving because with education, there will be more inventions like technology; to make life easier and accommodating, it was after much enlightening that they were convinced, so they welcome education and since then that have been, as if is part of the peoples' culture the way they embrace education. The writer will now put a stop to the description of this blessed and land of beauty, as a day will not be enough for narrating it's olden days affair.

What made the writer to pick up her writing tools this moment is based on the corruption and atrocities that have enfeeble the Ebiraland and its people. All what highlights the then Ebira-Opete are now the opposite form of life of the land and its people. Some of the traditional rights are been terminated as the youth of this generation pay no attention to the culture and tradition of the land.

The social life of Ebira people are not as it were before, people are civilized and not expected to still maintain the life of our forefathers but there are some things that should not left out. For instance, the traditional festivities are been jeopardized by the nowadays people of Ebiraland.

The laws of the land are not strictly adhere to any longer as the youth that suppose to embrace more peace and make the land a better place and home to live turn their deaf ears on some elderly advice, they engaged in killing themselves and the innocent ones all in the name of Political and Clannish interest.

The land of Milk and Honey, the so full milk and human kindness environment and people, turned a nasty land. Strangers and Commuter now afraid their being to and passing through Ebiraland to their respective home as they may involve in the killing of people taking place mostly the Central Area of Ebiraland (Okene), since they may lost their lives or being harmed. Any Ebira man/woman in the midst of other people must be ashamed of him/herself as he or she will notice people pointing and gesturing about him/her, people now dubbed us “wicked people” whereas that is an opposite form of who we are, we are no longer appreciated in and outside our land.

People now diddle one another. The reputation of our forefathers is now smeared due to our way of leaving life nowadays. This was the land they made a good place for people of their time and generation to come,
happening to be that, we are the generation they made the name for, should have made us to add more suitable taste to the name and not as we have stained our image.

Few among the youths that now emerge trying to promote Ebiraland in their own little way with their knowledge and research are left behind as they are facing financial challenges. Very few among the wealthy class of people are helping the needy. Those youth engaged on different fields; some ventured into Entertainment and ebiraland is rated higher for that, so many lives have been saved through some NGO because some choose Charity work and Journalism is not left out.

The writer now seize this opportunity to seek favour from God almighty because; When a case is more than human to handle, we call on God to help us, when things are heavier for human to carry we are to call on God to help reduce the weight and when things are damaged we are to call on God Almighty to help us reconstruct it. Almighty God bestow on us, a light to wipe away this darkness on our way, give us the power to retrieve our lost glory, makes Ebiraland a place worthy of leaving, kindly restore it feeble strength and revive its worth.

I also pray that Almighty God will listen to our cry and make it a better place for us, may He bless and give those youth and the other helping hand more courage to do more and also touch the heart of others to engage in something doing too.