From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Crisis is brewing in Akokwa and Ohaigiri towns, in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, where the people recently protested over what they called the surreptitious sale of their market as well as the post office by Akokwa United Progressives Peoples Association (AUPPA) to some developers, against their wish.
The protesters also accused AUPPA members of hijacking the leadership of the Akokwa Clan by illegally removing the elected president-general of the community.
Daily Sun gathered that the peaceful protest took place around the six autonomous communities that make up Akokwa and Ohaigiri in Ideato North.
According to them, the age-long market was demolished by the developers who built stalls and thereafter denied the original owners of shops in the market allocation, with the alleged collusion of AUPPA.
As early as 7am on the fateful day, the protesters, mostly youths, took off from Akwu Community, marched to the palace of the traditional ruler to inquire from the monarch his role in the sale of the community’s market and post office, the formation of AUPPA and removal from office the PG of Akokwa by persons who claimed to be life board of trustees members of the clan.
Their spokesman, Jeremiah Anodu, explained the essence of the protest thus: “There are people who feel they own Akokwa, that is why we are calling for justice before the traditional rulers of the six communities that make up Akokwa. Many people no longer go to the market because they lost their shops.”
Responding to the protesters, the traditional ruler of Akwu Akokwa, Eze Charles Ejezie, stated that he would like the leaders of Akokwa to summon a stakeholders’ meeting where sons and daughters of the area could come together and dialogue.
He counselled that the issue should not be settled in the public to avert crisis.
Similarly, his counterpart of Okwara Akokwa, Eze Ikenna Okoli, denied knowing about the formation of the AUPPA but said that the post office was leased, adding that the community was aware of it.
He also told the protesters that the AUPPA BOT members shared the market stalls, disclosing that he rejected the stalls allotted to him, until the original stall owners in the market were resettled.
The newly installed traditional ruler of Umukegwu Akokwa, Eze Kingsley Anyaoha, said he had no knowledge of what transpired and his late father whom he took over from did not inform him about anything relating to the sale of the market and post office.
However, Eze Charles Biere of Umuezeagu autonomous community disclosed that the market saga started during the administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha, who “wanted to build the market but the community refused.”
He said that he bought his own shops for N1,500,000 each, disclosing that he was part of the formation of AUPPA: “The reason for establishing the Association was because the Okwara community has hijacked the previous Association and that is the reason Okwara community has disassociated itself with the current association.”
Equally, the monarch of Umuopia Akokwa community, Eze Donatus Opuruzo expressed displeasure over the sale of the post office describing the act as criminal.
He further condemned the removal of the President General of Akokwa but urged that the community would handle the matter amicably without going to court.
Also, the Eze of Owerre Akokwa, Lambert Emechebe, who disclosed that he got only one shop in the market for N500,000 equally condemned the removal of the PG of Akokwa and other events that happened in the market.
President General of Owerre Akokwa, Comrade Emeka Anyalebechi called for people’s rights to prevail stressing that a peace committee will be set up immediately to look into the demands of the people. He, therefore, urged everyone to remain calm.
His Akwu Akokwa Autonomous Community counterpart, Comrade Patrick Obieri maintained that the youths exercised their freedom of expression: “With this protest, there will be a way forward where the aggrieved parties will come and dialogue over the issues affecting Akokwa town.”