Follow Us on Google
From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Crisis is brewing in Emudo Nenwe in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State. At the moment, the happenings have polarized the community, as the people now have parallel youth and women’s wings, as well as the elders’ forum, council of clans/hamlets’ chairmen and secretaries.
However, some concerned indigenes of the community have taken it upon themselves to ensure that the imminent catastrophe is averted.
Members of the Concerned Emudo Development Union-National (EDU-N) Stakeholders Forum, who raised concern over possible breakdown of law and order in their community, said it had become necessary to speak out and seek government’s intervention following the Igweship succession crisis rocking the community.
Coordinator of the group, Udeinya Ukegbu, with another stakeholder, Godwin Chukwu, told newsmen that a caretaker committee was trying to impose a traditional ruler on the community.
According to them, the five-man caretaker committee put together by the community’s traditional prime minister (Onowu) has cleverly transmuted into full blown Emudo Development Union and was allegedly usurping the position of the central executive committee, the only constitutionally recognized organ.
They noted that the traditional rulership and town union government of the community had since and particularly upon the demise of their monarch, Igwe Goddy Orji, been in great ruins, grossly dislocated and thrown the community into confusion.
Ukegbu said that the community had known no peace since the death of their traditional ruler several years ago, adding that the traditional stool has been vacant.
The coordinator lamented that the community has been delicately polarized due to the several interest groups which sprang up, claiming to be in charge of the town union administration.
He averred that the central executive committee of EDU-N was the only standing constitutional organ that could intervene in the cris is in the community. He further stressed that the caretaker committee is illegal and lacks constitutional power to take any decision for the community.
“The people’s grievance therefore, in this matter is that the EDU-N constitution was highly disregarded, disrespected, abused and set aside and unilaterally suspended by these people without due consultation of the people and things have since then been done unilaterally by the same group. The young man who now parades himself as President General, was the secretary of the erroneously constituted caretaker committee.
“This group and their cohorts unilaterally set the EDU-N constitution aside, arrogate and assign offices and power to themselves, families and friends.
“The worst of it all is that while the people are still nursing these wounds and injuries, the cabals have gone ahead to announce the sale of form to our people who are presently living in abject fear of their live, property and that of their loved ones for Igweship race with no concern for the plights of the ordinary Emudo person,” Ukegbu said.
The concerned stakeholders stated that the development union’s constitution has no provision for a caretaker committee rather, a Central Executive Committee as contained in Article 5(5.3) sub (s) iii, iv. They, therefore, appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the state ministry of rural development to urgently intervene and save the community the looming bloodshed.
Ukegbu said: “It is on this note that the generation of concerned critical stakeholders in collaboration with the CEC of EDU-N wishes to appeal to the various branches to prevail on the various factions to sheath their swords in the interest of our dear community.
“We are, therefore, calling on the federal and state governments to come to our aid because Emudo Nenwe is at the verge of total breakdown and anarchy.”
Inquiries at the ministry of rural development were not fruitful as officials said only the commissioner, Chief Emeka Mamah, could speak on the issue but he was engrossed in the flurry of political activities in the state.
