Sovima village under Dimapur district celebrated its 50 year anniversary at the village local ground, here Thursday with Chümoukedima village council chairman Razouvotuo Chatsu as the chief guest.
In his speech, Chatsu congratulated the village for attaining milestone both in maturity and development.
He said, there were 43 villages under chakhroma range where 34 villages were recognised while the rest were ancestral villages and that Sovima village falls under the recognised villages, the ones that were formed after the independence.
Chatsu said, the village was significant because unlike other villages, Sovima village had never got into land disputes with any neighbouring village nor had the village faced any eviction drive ever since its inception.
Adding that the great quality about Sovima village was that they always looked up to Chümoukedima as its fatherly figure in gratitude for granting land to establish the village, Chatsu said this had in turn made the relation between the two villages maintain a more vibrant relation.
Besides the numerous qualities the village possess, Chatsu said, Sovima had also set remarkable example by being a host to people from other communities.
He expressed hope that the village would prosper and be a beacon of hope for “our” people and also make known to others the hospitable nature the people was gifted with.
Chatsu conveyed the message of good wishes and blessings the elders from Chümoukedima village had passed on to Sovimaand through which the village would prosper with the blessings of both God and men.
Earlier Chatsu unveiled the jubilee monolith which was erected near the village local ground and later released the jubilee souvenir.
Founder of the village and also the chief host of the celebration, R Sopu, a recipient of Ashok Chakra in his brief speech said the village was founded with much hardship as it was during a time when the present village area was covered with thick jungle.
Expressing sadness at the loss of loved ones long the 50 year journey, Sopu said, “we have lost a lot of our loved ones but their sacrifices will always revered in our hearts.”
He lauded the present youth from the village for progressing in both education and living standards and expressed gratitude to them for helping in making the name the village shine.
Adding that cooperation was essential in living as neighbouring villages, Sopu said that people needed to live hand in hand. He invoked elderly blessings on the village.
Member of Parliament, Neiphiu Rio, who also was the chief host of the celebration, congratulated the contributors and those people who had sacrificed for the progress of the village. He said it was a day to remember the visions “our” forefathers conceptualised when they established the village facing numerous hardships and with painstaking commitment.
The lone MP said that the village with the help of the government had made remarkable achievements in the field of infrastructure and development and that the youths should take full advantage of those developments and help the village to excel more.
He said tribalism had divided “our” land into segments but here in this village, people from all the communities were co-existing and evolving into a cosmopolitan village.
In that same spirit, Rio called on the Naga National Political Groups to also get over their differences and unite for the common good of the Nagas.
He said that people in the past who sacrificed for the Naga issue was not limited by the Indian government but that the whole world knew the Naga issue.
He added that Naga issue was a political issue because it had started even before the Indian independence and that Naga issue was unique and the people had to unify in order to achieve their rights and recognitions.
He called on the people to come together and support the peace accord signed by the NSCN (I-M) with Government of India of August 3, 2015, since it was the best option for the Nagas at the moment and that the people needed to unite and give full support towards the framework agreement.
Rio further said that if there was anyone with a better solution which would be good for the people, they could also come forward and share it and that the people would have to come forward and support that too, but, he said, the need of the hour was unity in and fighting together for “our” rights and recognition.
Rio congratulated the village council members for their hard work and wished best for the village.
The programme was compered by Abu Metha while Bible reading and invocation was done by Angami CRC, Burma Camp, pastor-Rev. Dr. Neikeduozo Paphino.
Welcome address was delivered by Sovima village council chairman while greeting were expressed by a member each from communities residing in the village including Ao, Lotha, Sumi and Rengma.
Head GB of the village Thepfukeduo Kuotsu proposed the vote of thanks.
The celebration was marked by tribal presentations from women society Sovima and all the different communities.