The traditional ruler of Oba-Ofemili Community in Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State, His Royal Highness Igwe Ezekwesili Madugbuna, has warmed his subjects not to distract Governor Charles Soludo, on his agenda of making Anambra a livable and prosperous State in Nigeria.
The monarch laid down the warning while reacting to an allegation level against him by some elders from his community, accusing him of high-handedness.
The elders in a press conference held in Awka, on Tuesday, accused the Traditional ruler of using the State Vigilante Operatives and Fulani herders residing in the area to harass and intimidate them over piece of land which they said belonged to the people of Ibite-Olo, a neighbouring boundary community in Iziagwu local government area of Enugu State.
According to Chief Reuben Iloka, who spoke on behalf of the elders, explained that the land in equation was given to the people of Ibite-Olo community after a Court Judgement in 1945.
He alleged that the community has lost it peacefulness ever since the Monarch was given a certificate of recognition by the Anambra State Government under Chief Willie Obiano’s administration in 2016 and that between 2020 to 2023 December, the community has witnessed a burning of 27 houses, destruction of 3,000 bags of rice, 15 goats, generator sets, TV sets and other valuables belonging to those opposing his style of leadership in the town.
“We are peace-loving people. We can not afford to risk our people into war in this modern era, governor Soludo should come to our rescue, Chief Iloka pleaded.
Reacting further via telephone interview with our Correspondent, Igwe Madugbuna, called on the public to disregard the allegation, noting that it is a plan to dethrone him and that nothing of such has happened in the area.
He said the disturbances will not distract Governor Soludo’s development agenda for the good people of Oba-Ofemili community.
He noted that it was only Governor Soludo who discovered Oba-Ofemili community after many years of Oblivion.
He said Oba-Ofemili people would ever remain grateful to Governor Soludo for constructing the only road that connected Oba-Ofemili to other communities in Awka-North Local Government Area.
He recalled that prior to the construction of the said road, it took about 3 hours to access Oba-Ofemili from Amansea but since the construction of the road, it now takes just 25 minutes to connect his community from Amansea.
According to him, many administrations have come and gone but none deemed it necessary to extend democracy dividends to Oba-Ofemili community except Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, who singlehandedly took a bold and courageous decision to discover and connect Oba-Ofemili to the rest of the capital territory through the construction of the Oba-Ofemili-Amansea road in his community.
He said his community will continue to give maximum support and solidarity to the government of Professor Soludo irrespective of the machinations of malignant elements in the community who do not appreciate good things. He reiterated the fact that past governments never set foot in Oba-Ofemili neither did they have Oba-Ofemili in their development agenda but Governor Soludo came to Oba-Ofemili community and broke the jinx of years of infrastructural backwardness and total decay in the area.
In spite of the fact that Governor Soludo extended interventions to Oba-Ofemili community, some rebellious cum disgruntled elements were bent on discrediting the state government with all manner of fictions and falsehoods in the media.
That there is no crisis in the community and everywhere is peaceful and devoid of lies being peddled by opposition elements who are doing everything criminally possible to dethrone him and take over his throne as they have never been happy with him since he was coronated the traditional ruler of Oba-Ofemili community.
He further disclosed that there was need for members of the public to ascertain the veracity of the claims of opposition elements in the community before running to conclusion that Oba-Ofemili is in crisis whereas it is not, except for some misguided elements making futile efforts to tarnish the image of the community through false information in the media.
Igwe Madugbuna who also reacted to allegations of him using Fulani herdsmen and vigilante operatives to terrorise his subjects in Oba-Ofemili as well as burning 27 houses and destroying 3000 bags of rice, said all those were lies from the pit of hell as no such things ever occurred in his domain.
He said anybody who cares could come to Oba-Ofemili and find out the locations where the alleged 27 houses were burnt in the community. The people of Oba-Ofemili community are happy because the government of Professor Soludo remembered them.
He therefore urged members of the public to disregard any news report alleging that there is crisis in Oba-Ofemili community.