By ALEX ENEBELI

The people of Umuezike village in lhekwuenu Autonomous Community in lgbo-Etiti Council Area of Enugu State has appealed to Gov. Peter Mbah to reinstate their traditional ruler, HRH Christopher Okwor, back to his throne.

They stated that since the suspension of the traditional ruler in September 2021, the community had been facing a lot of challenges from strangers and were denied of many amenities from the government.

Umuezike community which is one of the three communities that made up of Ihekwuenu autonomous community made the appeal when they paid a solidarity visit to Okwor on Saturday in Enugu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okwor was suspended for allegedly demolishing a two bedroom building belonging to a visually impaired man, Mr Anibeze Nnadi from the community, a house allegedly built for him by Ezemagu family.

A letter presented to the royal father by the community during the visit and signed by Chairman and Secretary of Umuezike Community Peoples’ Association (UCPA), Okechukwu Okpe and Vincent Amadi respectfully, said the visit was to discuss lingering issues affecting the community with Okwor.

The community while calling on the state government to lift ban on Okwor, said the neighboring communities had been taking their rights and intimidating them because of the absence of their king.

“Specifically, we come here to discuss on the way out on the ban imposed on the throne of our traditional ruler by Enugu State Government since 21 Sept. 2021.

“There were pockets of land disputes and quarrels between individuals, Clans, kindred in Umuezike and Ihekwuenu Autonomous Community.

“None of these disputes and quarrels involved Igwe Okwor except the ones between lgwe and Ezemagu Family where the blind man hailed from,” the team said

They further alleged that strangers were intimidating and harassing them in Eke-Aku and Motor Park situated in their land with law enforcement agents.

“Politicians also transacted business at same market and motor park against terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between Umuezike and Igbo-Etiti LGA,” the community said.

The community also alleged that the palliative materials due to fuel subsidy removal and other packages from the government meant for the vulnerable groups were cornered by greedy ones in the village.

“All these happened because our Igwe is suspended and we are appealing to Gov. Peter Mbah to lift the ban for the progress and development of our community”.

“The land dispute is in the court of competent jurisdiction and Umuezike is interested in the matter as we need to do something peaceful about it.

“We call on all individuals in Umuezike land both at home and diaspora to eschew bitterness, bury their hatchets, seek for the peace and to assist us in proffering solutions on how to lift the ban imposed on the throne of our traditional ruler.

“We equally solicit all individuals in Umuezike land both at home and in Diaspora to come together and find lasting solutions on how to resolve the land dispute between Igwe Okwor and Ezemagu Family,” they said.

Responding, Okwor who expressed joy over the decision of his community to visit him, said he was the most peacefully elected Igwe in Aku and had been doing his best to serve his people

Explaining how the problem started, the royal father said, “Ezemagu family encroached my land where my great grandfather lived and before I knew it, they went to court”

According to him, while the matter was still in court, they came into the land and started erecting a building for a blind man from their extended family.

“Before you knew it, the politicians who were not comfortable with my truth and the way I do things took over the matter.

They went into the blind man’s house and demolished it and said I demolished it in the media.

“I was invited by the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftaincy where I detailed them everything that happened but before I knew it, I was served a suspension letter.

“Since September 2021 the panel of inquiry they instituted are yet to made their report public,” he said.

NAN reports that the highlight of the visit was the empowerment of 80 indigents from the community with N10, 000 each by Okwor’s son, Prince Ugonna Okwor. (NAN)

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