Liberation Rally
By Mimi Chiadikaobi
More than 2000 Enugwu-Agidi indigenes in Njikoka Local Government Area,LGA, have embarked on enlightenment liberation rally to save the community from extinction due to bad community leadership they have suffered over the past three years now.
The peaceful protest which was held on Saturday, saw the Youths and other Stakeholders of the community declared that its President –General, Mr Ebuka Onuorah have unconstitutionally abused their heritage.
Mr. Chikeluba Nwankwo, a stakeholder and coordinator of Save Enugwu-Agidi Group said they will vote out the current President General of Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union (EBU), Mr Ebuka Onuorah on December 29.
Nwankwo said that they, as a people have had enough and that it is their constitutional duty to converge every three years to hold general meeting and rake crucial decisions on issues bothering their existence.
He said the union which is the umbrella body for all indigenes of Enugwu-Agidi will on Monday, December 29 hold election to elect a new PG for the community for the good of the common man in the town.
Nwankwo said: “We have a problem of land grabbing in this community and that is what we want our new President General to tackle. Most of our land have been sold out by Ebuka Onuorah, whereas, these are properties that are owned collectively by the society.”
It would be recalled that there have been several conflict, leadership tussles in the community with stakeholders including members of the Igwe’s cabinet pointing accusing fingers at the incumbent PG, Ebuka Onuorah, all of which he denied.
During the rally across the community the youths and stakeholders carried placards with different inscriptions, pledging their support for one of the PGship candidates, Mr Pius Nwankwo, threatening to ensure the end of Onuorah’s reign in the community.
Some leaders of the community, including; Dr Chinedu Ikeanyi, son of the former monarch of the community late Igwe Davison Okafor,said that the incumbent betrayed the trust invested on him.
Ikeanyi said: “We want to have a president general who has a known address, who knows what he is doing, and can be recognised for who he is.
“We don’t want Ebuka Onuorah who is a drop out and has never worked all his life, but depends on the sales of our land to continue to drive cars like G-Guard, and maintain a retinue of hired thugs.”
“We want someone who will respect the traditional beliefs, customs, culture, values and royal institution, one with humane character to continue to build our forefathers legacies,”He said.
Mr.Victor Onwudinjo a concerned native said that what is been experienced in the community currently is heartbreaking and have never seen it this bad, total disrespect for human respect by a young person like the PG.
Mr Emeka Ementa, Anambra branch chairman of the union said that the fear inflicted in the people will be wrong to be allowed to continue and affirmed their support for Nwankwo to end the reign of Onuorah.
The aspirant for the position of president general, Mr Pius Nwankwo, a Director of ICT at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who spoke affirmed that he is willing to tackle the rot left behind by the outgoing PG.
“I can tell you that before now, there used to be less mobilisation or interest from the people of Enugwu-Agidi, over union matters, but since the current PG took over and started mismanaging our resources,
“you can see that everyone is now interested, and willing to participate, just to vote him out to make things right again.
“You can see the number of people who came out for this sensitisation walk, all these people are organic supporters, people who want the good of Enugwu-Agidi and want things to change from the way it is presently.
“Our election is on 29 December, and as you already know, the incumbent PG had tried to manipulate the process and hold the election on 16 December, when he is sure that most of the stakeholders would not have returned to the village.
“ So that he can manipulate the process as he always does, but he was not so lucky this time as we resisted him and kept it for 29 December, which is usually our convention days,” he noted.
However, in a swift reaction the incumbent PG described their allegation as blantant lie and reassured the community that he will win the election come December 29.
He said that the good work he had done for the community will speak for him and promised more dividend of democracy to the people.
