Prince (Dr) Chinedu Ikeanyi, a Chieftain of the Enugwu-Agidi Community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State has cried out to the state government to save the community from disintegration.
Ikeanyi said that the community culturally and traditionally shared the same ancestral patrilineal with Enugwu-Ukwu, Nawfia and Nri towns who are collectively known as “Umunri” (Nri Children) Clan.
He alleged that the community was currently under siege due to the bad leadership of the President-General, Mr Ebuka Onuorah.
He said this in an open letter addressed to the state government and was made available to newsmen on Saturday in Awka.
He said that the request for government intervention through an open letter to Mr Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, entitled “Rescue Enugwu-Agidi from the Bondage of President-General Ebuka Onourah” was apt .
He said that as the son of the immediate past traditional ruler, Late HRH Igwe Davison- Okafor Ikeanyi, (Okpalariam II), who served the community for over 33 years believes in uprightness of tradition and constitution of the town.
Ikeanyi said that he grew up in the community since the age of six years-old, and that he is properly socialised in the culture of the town and described current situations as worrisome and that his keeping quite will be a taboo.
“For many years, Enugwu-Agidi has been known as a peaceful town with enormous joy and unity among her indigenes, villages, and with her neighboring towns and communities.
“We, the indigenes of Enugwu-Agidi self-developed our town with functional infrastructure, In 1978 we built our first secondary school, Enugwu-Agidi Community Secondary School, formerly known as Enugwu-Agidi Girls’ Secondary School.
“In 1979, we built the Enugwu-Agidi Technical School (GTC), a secondary school for our boys, Rural electrification in 1985 and first tarred road in 1987.
“Other developmental projects followed through successive and productive leaderships of our town union through the constitution that guides Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union (EBU) Nigeria, which the PG discarded,” Ikeanyi said.
He added that EBU was the umbrella organisation responsible for the administrative leadership of the town union. The socio-cultural organisation whose membership is made of every male indigenes from 18 years old.
Ikeanyi said that EBU-Nigeria had over 28 branches all over Nigeria and members of EBU-Nigeria Executive are elected every three years in a general election usually conducted in December, while the traditional ruler, HRM Igwe Michael Okekeuche remains the cultural leader and father of the community.
He further explained that the PG had desecrated all constituted authorities in the community and turned it upside –down with introduction of untold violence, land grappling, disruption of burial rites, demands of development levies amongst other mayhem.
According to him, the most worrisome issue facing the indigenes today was the ongoing violence, molestation, and physical abuse which has been introduced into the community’s polity by the PG.
He recalled that a peaceful protest was staged by the Chairmen of ALL the 10 villages in Enugwu-Agidi, held at Eke Market Square on September 26 which recorded no violence and was widely covered by media during which “VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE” was passed on Onuorah’s leadership.
Ikeanyi appealed to the government to impartially investigate all the reports against the PG to address the serial violation of rights of the indigenes of Enugwu-Agidi.
He said that Onuorah is a 43 years-old male who dud not have any known legitimate source of livelihood but moves around the community in convoy compared to that of a President of the country.
“Onuorah was not the choice of the people but was foisted on the community by a hand-picked electoral body from the local government ministry recommended by Chief Clem Aguiyi, the former Chairman of Njikoka LGA.
“The community has been on a spiral decline after his election on December 2022 as he embarked on debasement of our traditional customs and morals, high handedness, illicit and criminal activities to satisfied his mentors.
Ikeanyi urged the government, to, in the current circumstances suspend PG Ebuka Onuorah, because he had lost the confidence of the people and then take time to investigate the situation of things for redress.
“I also wish to use this public medium to inform you that some people who identify themselves as Enugwu-Agidi Stakeholders who have called to your office several times to intercede on behalf of PG Ebuka Onuorah DO NOT represent Enugwu-Agidi as a town.
“They are NOT authorised to speak for Enugwu-Agidi town and do not hold any leadership positions both in the traditional and administrative governance of the town.
“They are supporters of PG Ebuka Onuorah and whatever they are telling you DO NOT represent the general views of Enugwu-Agidi people.
“ I stand ready to offer you documented proofs to show that PG Onuorah is a land grabber with more than 35 civil and criminal cases filed against him in various courts across Nigeria by mostly Enugwu-Agidi indigenes.
“No PG in the history of Enugwu-Agidi community has such a dismal track record of lawsuits against him. Also,in my custody is a voice note of a conversation where PG Onuorah and Aguiyi planning to label and frame HRM Igwe Okekeuche as a party politicians who belongs to All Progressive Congress (APC).
He said that the traditional ruler was not a member of any political party, and has been calling for peace and doing everything within his powers to calm the youths.
“As a devout Catholic, Okekeuche does not want to witness any bloodshed which is culturally prohibited by Nri cultural heritage.
“It is an abomination for an Nri person to shed the blood of a clan’s person which the PG cares less about this ancient custom because he had supervised the killing of Mr. Anayo Nworah during his first tenure as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of EBU-Nigeria, ” Ikeanyi said.
He said: “Onuorah has tasted blood, and he is determined to do it again, to be forewarned is to be forearmed and that is why the cry for government intervention to stop the looming breakdown of law and order before it escalates.”
Ikeanyi advised the government that in the current circumstances the best was to suspend the PG Ebuka Onuorah for now because he has lost the confidence of the people and then take time to investigate the situation of things in Enugwu-Agidi Community for redress.
“I also wish to use this public medium to inform you that some people who identify themselves as Enugwu-Agidi Stakeholders who have called to your office several times to intercede on behalf of the PG DO NOT represent Enugwu-Agidi as a town.
“They are NOT authorised to speak for Enugwu-Agidi town and do not hold any leadership positions both in the traditional and administrative governance of Enugwu-Agidi town.
“I am simply inviting you as a concerned citizen of our town to investigate the claims I have enumerated and assess the true picture of things in the community to avoid bloodbath.
“You must intervene accordingly by virtue of your office as the commissioner for LG and chieftaincy matters and rescue Enugwu-Agidi from PG Ebuka Onuorah’s bondage.
“You owe Enugwu-Agidi citizens a duty of care as expected by our governor, Prof Charles Soludo, who is very passionate about the welfare and safety of Anambra people,” he said.
Ikeanyi said that for true peace and unity to return to the community that the PG needed to be disqualified from contesting the December general election based on his constitutional miss-fit to stand for the election as a deterrent to undemocratic public officers .
In his reaction, the commissioner said that the ministry did not interfere in the process of electing PGs of the communities but only supervises the election process when any community notified the ministry of the date for election.
Nwabunwanne said that the office was opened to the public for accessibility and ready to serve the public without bias and assured that every complaint reported to the ministry in honesty will get equal attention.
Onuorah described all the claims of abuse of power and other negative reports against him as unfounded and disclosed that he abided by the rule of peaceful governance.
He said that under his administration that the community had fared very well in area of grass-root development ranging from agricultural produce, youth development through skill acquisition amongst others.
He said that only the people who oppose his leadership failed to understand his style of leadership and appreciated the progress he attracted on the community.
Aguiyi, the former council chairman said that the PG was well elected by the constitution while he was in the office, pointing out that officers of the ministry of LG affairs was visibly present to conduct the election and announce the winner.
He explained that it was worrisome what was playing out in the community and the pointing of accusing fingers to innocent people which cannot be authenticated .
