Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Residents of Aguleri community in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State have protested against two out of their five traditional rulers who followed Prince Arthur Eze to visit President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
The monarchs whom the villagers protested against were: Igwe Alex Edozieuno of Mkpunando Aguleri and Igwe Udoji Ikegbunem of Eziagulu-Otu Aguleri.
The protesters armed with placards with various inscriptions were led by their president-general, Chief Hipo Onwuegbuke; president of Aguleri youths, Mr Nnamdi Ikeli, and other leaders of the community.
They said that the two embattled monarchs betrayed their community by joining forces with an outsider to fight their son, Chief Willie Obiano, who is the governor of the state.
“We are protesting the unbecoming conduct of the two Igwes (monarchs) in our community namely Igwe Alex Edozieuno of Mkpunando Aguleri and Igwe Udoji Ikegbunem of Eziagulu-Otu Aguleri.
“These Igwes on their own left our domain without telling our people, without even telling the government or the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council and went to Abuja with Prince Arthur Eze. We condemn that conduct in its entirety”, Onwuegbuke said.
The youth president, Ikeli, who corroborated Onwuegbuke said that the continued stay in office of the two monarchs were no longer acceptable to them and therefore called on Governor Obiano to dethrone them.
The international oil magnate, Eze, and Governor Obiano have been having a running battle over some issues and the 12 monarchs who accompanied him to see President Buhari were all suspended for one year by the state government recently.