Hundreds of residents from Umuekwenu Autonomous Community yesterday stormed the headquarters of Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State, to protest the alleged imposition of a traditional ruler on their community.

The protesters accused the State Commissioner for Local Government of attempting to impose one Chief Chinwe Eze as their traditional ruler without their consent.

The community had previously filed a suit at the Enugu State High Court sitting in Obollo Af?r and obtained an order restraining the commissioner from installing Eze as the monarch of Umuekwenu.

The court order, in Suit No: OB/40/2024, stated: ?Parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo until the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice. The case is further adjourned to the 10th day of October, 2024, for Motion on Notice.?

Alleging that the commissioner was acting against the court order, the community members gathered at the local government council headquarters to express their disapproval of the alleged plan.

Addressing council officials, one of the community leaders, Hillary Ona, said: ?Umuekwenu Autonomous Community people are here to protest against a purported certificate of observation issued to one Chief Chinwe Eze. The people are here in their numbers to let the Enugu State Government know that the certificate given to Chief Chinwe Eze is fraudulent.?

He explained that the community was initially invited to the council headquarters under the pretense of receiving agricultural palliatives from the state government. However, to their surprise, officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs arrived around 5 PM and announced the issuance of a certificate of observation to Chief Chinwe Eze.

?We asked them if the planned agricultural palliatives had turned into a certificate of observation. We demanded to know when and where the election for our monarch was held. There was no election, no consultation?so what exactly were they observing? How was he selected?? Ona queried.

He further stated: ?The entire community has rejected the purported certificate of observation. We have written to the governor, the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, and we have also met with the Commissioner for Local Government. While he assured us that it is our right to choose our traditional ruler, we do not trust him anymore.?

?There was no notice of an election, let alone an actual election. So on what basis is this certificate being issued to Chinwe Eze? Let it be noted that this matter is already in court,? Ona emphasized.

The community members urged the state government to respect the court order and allow them to select their traditional ruler through a fair and transparent process. (Vanguard)

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