By Our Correspondent
The lingering communal crisis in Enugwu-Agidi, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, has drawn the attention of the town’s Traditional Ruler, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Michael Okekeuche (Opkalarim III), who has appealed to Governor Charles Soludo and security agencies for urgent intervention.
In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Chief Ifeanyi Ndulue, Igwe Okekeuche said the call became necessary following a protest by aggrieved indigenes of the community against the President General, Chief Ebuka Onuorah, whom they accused of autocratic leadership.
The monarch urged government authorities and security agencies to protect the lives and property of Enugwu-Agidi people, and to investigate the root causes of the unrest to ensure justice is delivered without bias.
He stressed that peace is not weakness but a mark of strength, urging all community members to unite for the sake of their land and future generations.
According to the Igwe, his palace is actively engaging elders, youths, women leaders, village representatives, and spiritual fathers to chart a path towards reconciliation and lasting peace.
He warned the people not to allow division or provocation to erode what their forefathers labored to build, citing his mandate under the Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union (EBU) constitution and the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law.
Reacting to the protest staged at Eke Enugwu-Agidi Square, High Chief Vin. Onyekwulue of Etiti village accused the President General, Onuorah, of dictatorship, land grabbing, and using thugs to intimidate opponents.
He further alleged that women and youths who opposed him were harassed, while community lands were sold illegally.
Onyekwulue claimed that both the state’s community security outfit, Udogachi, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr. Collins Nwabunwanne, were aware of these issues.
He said he had submitted evidence of the allegations to Chief Ken Emeakayi, Special Adviser to Governor Soludo on Community Security.
Women protesters from Etiti village carried placards reading, “PG Ebuka Onuorah Must Go,” and “Governor Soludo Save Us From Ebuka Onuorah.”
Their chairperson, Hon. Grace Aghauche, alleged that Onuorah unlawfully removed her from office before the expiration of her tenure in December, forcing an election in June to impose loyalists.
She said petitions to the Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs. Ify Obinabor, had yielded no result.
The protesters insisted they had passed a vote of no confidence on the President General and urged the state government to intervene so that the women could conduct their election peacefully in December.
In his defense, Chief Ebuka Onuorah dismissed the protest as the handiwork of recalcitrant individuals who wanted to disrupt the Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union (EBU) meeting.
He denied involvement in land matters, stating he was not a member of the community’s land committee, as alleged by his opponents.
The EBU meeting, which was attended by Igwe Okekeuche, his cabinet, the Ndichie, and delegates from both home and abroad, proceeded despite the protest.
The monarch reiterated his commitment to peace and justice, assuring his subjects that his palace stands with the people in seeking reconciliation and order in Enugwu-Agidi.
