Mothers on the March- Iyanomon Women Lead Peace March to End Communal Crisis and a Return Home

Mothers on the March- Iyanomon Women Lead Peace March to End Communal Crisis and a Return Home

Habiba Sam

     Women of Iyanomon on their knees for            peace to return to their Community. 

When gunfire replaced normal life in Iyanomon, it was the women who stepped forward. In Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, mothers, traders, and grandmothers have become the community’s frontline peacekeepers, staging a heartfelt protest to confront the youth clashes that have fractured their town and scattered families. 

Clutching placards and chanting for calm, the women, alongside other displaced residents, walked through Iyanomon with a single, urgent appeal: end the fighting, reconcile the factions, and open the way for people to return home and restart their lives.

Mrs. Aiwekhoe Omon, speaking for the group, said while the most recent episode did not result in fatalities, it left residents deeply shaken by relentless bursts of gunfire and blasts that echoed through the streets.

“Our cry is for peace. We are begging government to summon both sides, settle this dispute once and for all, and let us breathe again. It is women and children who carry the heaviest burden,” she said.

She noted that the root of the conflict is already being considered by the palace and the courts. Yet, the unresolved tension continues to trap the community in fear and push residents into displacement.

Mrs. Gift Ewen described what life looks like outside the community. She said the long stretch of insecurity has created room for criminality, including abductions, forcing many families to seek safety elsewhere.

“It has been 12 months since I left my house. I am now a tenant in another area because Iyanomon is no longer safe for us,” she said.

Her voice broke as she recalled her burnt businesses: “They set my two shops on fire ,the only means I had to feed my family. Everything is gone. Returning today means beginning from zero,” she said.

The women also alleged that vacated houses have been systematically vandalized. With owners away, doors, windows, and fittings were allegedly carted away by unknown persons.

The marchers were clear: this was not about loyalty to any faction. 

“We are not standing with one side against the other. We are standing for our homes, our children, and our future. Give us peace so we can go back and rebuild,” one protester said.

They appealed to the Edo State Government and security structures to intervene immediately, mediate between the feuding youths, and restore an environment where displaced persons can resettle without fear.

They cautioned that without swift action, the humanitarian toll and insecurity in Iyanomon would only deepen.

Mr. Andy Egbon, Secretary of the NUJ Edo State Council, represented Chairman Dr. Festus Alenkhe at the protest. He expressed sympathy over the losses suffered and praised the women for conducting themselves peacefully.

He urged them to channel their demands through the proper government channels to ensure a timely response.

By putting themselves at the center of the demand for peace, Iyanomon women have redefined the story. What began as youth unrest has now become a collective cry for healing, led by the mothers who have lost shops, homes, and security, but refuse to lose hope.