Anambra: Aguluzigbo youths stage protest over Igweship stool in community
By Chukwudi Ndubeze
Some youth of Aguluzigbo, Anaocha local government area of Anambra state, Tuesday, protested against an alleged attempt by a certain influential politician to impose a traditional ruler on the community.
The youth numbering over 50 in a peaceful protest to the state government, accused the former national legislator of using his ‘connection’ to intimidate and oppress Aguluzigbo including installing a caretaker town Union when his supporter was defeated.
In a protest letter submitted to the State Commissioner for Local Government, Town Union and Chieftaincy matters, and co-signed by Mr Chike Adogu, coordinator; Mr Ikechukwu Eyiuche, Chairman; Mr Chukwuma Umeh, Secretary General; and Mr Izuchukwu Ezejiofor, the youth said they would defend their traditional stool with the last pint of their blood.
“Aguluzigbo youths are saying capital no to these manipulation, intimidations and imposition of leaders including Igwe on the peaceful people of Aguluzigbo. We shall resist it with the last pint of our blood because Igwe is for life and will affect our future. Any election outside 31st December is unacceptable.
“The scheduled Igweship election on 28 December, 2020 was aborted because the PG and his paymaster insisted that only those who paid the 2020 annual dues will be allowed to vote as against the advice of the two elected legal advisers of the union and other legal luminaries in the town.
“The election they rescheduled to Friday January 15, 2021 cannot hold. The world should also note that the Chairman of the Igweship election committee, Mr E. C. Anyaeche has just thrown in the trowel by resigning officially due to the politician overbearing intimidation and manipulations and they are still bent on doing a kangaroo selection,” they said.
The youth also faulted the ADU 2018 constitution saying it was “hurriedly and secretly drafted and put together by the Caretaker Committee of Aguluzigbo in violation of the Caretaker Committee’s Terms of reference. Secondly, the two legal advisers whose names appear as members of the 2018 constitution review committee have distanced themselves from the drafting, review and amendment of the said constitution.
“The draft constitution was not made available to the six villages of Aguluzigbo and ADU branches nationwide for perusal or review, as stipulated in the amendment clause of the 1993 constitution before the said 2018 constitution was imposed on us. We want to revert to the peoples constitution of Aguluzigbo community of 1993 as amended, pages 33, 34 and 35, Igweship constitution, Section 5, which was tempered with in the 2010 constitution (Adopted electoral reforms also rejected and suppressed by the same politician after it was used in 2010 elections).
“The well meaning people of Aguluzigbo adopted rotation of Igweship among the six villages of Aguluzigbo to avoid rancour and bloodshed which the current imposed PG is inviting. It is trite to point out that Ihuowele village solely presented to Aguluzigbo community their Igwe nominee, Igwe A. N. Ezeanekwe, in compliance with the said 1993 constitution, and peace reigned in Aguluzigbo throughout his 31 years on the throne. Rather than allow the 2nd village, Etuleze to do the same, the person who thinks that he owns Aguluzigbo changed the goal post at the middle of the game just to impose his stooge-a low rated person on us as our Igwe. It cannot work. Enough is enough,” it further alleged.
The youth coordinator, Mr Chike Adogu, who read the letter, asked for quick government intervention to prevent possible shedding of blood as youths, according to him, would no longer allow the politician and his supporters to ‘suppress’ Aguluzigbo any more.
Responding, the state commissioner for Local government, town Union and chieftaincy affairs, Hon. Greg Obi, represented by a staff of the ministry, Mr Henry Nwasike, appealed for a calm assuring the youths that the constitution of Aguluzigbo accepted by all would be used to administer their affairs to the latter.
