By Ikechukwu Odu

There is tension in Ngwuru Autonomous Community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State as members of the community numbering over 500 on Monday, stormed the streets to protest non recognition of  their Town Union President by the traditional ruler of the community, HRH, Igwe Linus Obayi.

The visibly enraged protesters who passed vote-of-no-confidence on the monarch, also alleged that he sells their community lands and other economic trees and shares the proceeds with his cronies without making any efforts to develop the community.

The Town Union President-elect, Ignatius Ugwu, told Vanguard that Igwe Obayi, has scuttled every effort made to install him as the democratically elected Town Union President since over four years that the community got its autonomy.

“Since four years ago, we have been clamouring to have a Town Union, but the Igwe and his cohorts refused to recognize me as the duly elected Town Union President of this community. Because he feels that it is his exclusive reserve to pick and impose someone as our Town Union President, he has refused to recognize me and this situation is taking us back in terms of community development,” he said.

Mr Ugwu equally alleged that the monarch is using his position to ensure that the Ministry of Rural Development doesn’t complete the necessary processes leading his recognition as the chosen one for the position in the community.

Another stakeholder in the community, Prof. Tony Onyishi, a Professor of Public Administration and Political Science at the University of Nigeria, while decrying the monarch’s fixation on controlling the Town Union of the community, said that Ngwuru was the only autonomous community in the university community without a Town Union President.

The don who explained that there are different statutes establishing the traditional ruler institution, and Town Union in the state, said that the monarch was wrong to insist on imposing a Town Union President on the community against the wish of the people.

Another stakeholder and Head, Department of Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Prof. Ike Onyishi, in a Save-Our-Soul call to Enugu State Government, said government should remove the monarch as the traditional ruler of the community in order to give peace and development a chance.

Prof. Onyishi, also alleged that the monarch was using influential people in the society to torment the people of Ngwuru Autonomous Community .

However, when Vanguard visited the monarch for comment, he declined, insisting that he was not ready to address  journalists on the matter.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: “Igwe bragged he has the governor in his pocket. Haba!; Allow Ngwuru to have a Town Union. Enough is enough!; Governor Ugwuanyi, we know you for uprightness, come to our rescue; Igwe sold Ngwuru land;” among others.