Enugu community erupts in protest, accuses monarch of ruling from the diaspora

…accuses police of intimidation, demands governor’s urgent intervention

The people of Ibute-Egede Autonomous Community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, took to the streets over the weekend, protesting what they called an “un-traditional” practice of their Monarch, HRH Igwe Peter Ikenna Okwesiri (Mmiri na Ezoro-oha), whom they accused of living in Boston, the United States of America, while administering the affairs of the community as its custodian of culture.

The community also condemned alleged persistent harassment, persecution and unlawful arrest of their indigenes by policemen from Police Force CID Anex at Agbani road, Enugu State, on the directive of the American based traditional ruler of their community.

They also accused the Commissioner for Rural Development, Chieftaincy Affairs and Local Government matters, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, of alleged complicity in the traditional ruler’s high-handedness in his administration of the affairs of the Autonomous Community.

They are now begging Governor Peter Mbah and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to come to their aid, as the community is prepared to fight back if the situation is left to fester the way it is currently going.

However, the Palace Secretary, Mr. Gabriel Okolo, debunked any claim of wrong doing by the monarch, saying the protest was orchestrated by members of the disbanded community land committee that the Igwe stopped from selling community land.

The villagers carried placards with inscriptions such as “You cannot be a traditional ruler of Ibute-Egede and live in Boston”, “Ibute-Egede deserves a Monarch that lives amongst his community”, “Stop the Police harassment”, “DPO Agbani stop the harassment”, “CP/IGP call Agbani DPO to order”.

Speaking during the protest, one of the elderly persons who participated in the protest, identified as Chief Anikwe Ndigwe, used the opportunity to call on the state Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, to as a matter of urgency, dethrone the traditional ruler as it would be better for the Autonomous Community to exist without a king than to have one in the United States’ of America.

“We want the Governor to dethrone him. It is better not to have an Igwe than to have this particular one in the US,” Chief Anikwe had said

Speaking to newsmen on phone shortly after the protest, the President General of the community, Chief Chibuzor Oyinze, alleged that the traditional ruler who lives in Boston, USA, rules the community in proxy, through persistent arrest, police harassment and intimidation, using the Force headquarters in Agbani, Enugu State.

Reacting to the development, Okolo, said the issue at stake had nothing to do with the monarch travelling outside the country, but that it is only a ploy by those who were prevented by the monarch from selling community land to blackmail him.

He said the matter was at the Force CID Annex and consequently at the state High Court, but that those who are eager to sell the land by all means are working to create confusion in the community, hiding under spurious allegations.