Protest rocks Enugu community over Igwe’s indiscriminate sales of land

Nguru community in Nsukka Local Government Council of Enugu State on Monday came under serious protest by residents as a result of indiscriminate sales of their ancestral land by the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Linus Obayi.

The protesters are demanding the removal of Igwe even as they asked the State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to come to their rescue.

They all carried placards bearing, “Igwe Linus Obayi must go”, ‘We want Nguru Town Union or nothing”, and “Governor Ugwuanyi, we know you for your uprightness come to our rescue,” “Obayi, why are you against the development of Nguru community?” “Obayi stop selling our community land,” among others.

The residents protesting as at the time our correspondent got there were over 500 in numbers.

The protesters alledged that the monarch has stopped the Town Union from functioning since his appointment four years ago which he arrogated the sole power to himself to be selling lands indiscriminately.

A protester and a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nnsuka, Mr. Tony Onyishi, said that the absence of town union had stalled development and denied the community representation in many occasions in Nsukka Local Government and Enugu State in general.

“It’s unfortunate that series of efforts to install town union executives have been scuttled and frustrated by the traditional ruler. The town union executives elected by the community last year have not been allowed to function by Obayi.

“The traditional ruler said that unless the community allowed him to select those that would be members of the Town union there would not be peace in the town.

According to him, the community by the protest have passed a vote of no confidence on the traditional ruler.

The lecturer cautioned that the traditional ruler should allow the will of the people to prevail, stressing that should he continue in the manner, it is, the community would have no choice than invoking the relevant laws for his removal.

Another Head of Department of Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka condemn in strong terms Igwe action for not allowing the existence of Town Union.

He said his action was against the will of the people.

“Other communities in Nsukka town like: Achara, Umukashi, Nru, among others have town unions, I don’t know why Nguru own will be an exception.

“Igwe should allow those the community elected as town union members to function or else, the community will be forced to ask Enugu State Government to remove him as the traditional ruler of the community,” he said.

Also speaking Mr Uchenna Ugwu, the President General town union elect in Nguru community said since April last year, he and other members were elected, Obayi refused to recognize them.

According to Ugwu, Obayi said the only town union he would recognized and allow to work was the one he selected by himself.

“The constitution of Nguru community give 10 villages and two satellite towns the power to elect two people that will represent them in Nguru town union.

“There is no place in the constitution that says the traditional ruler should select those that will be members of the town union,” he said.