Thousands of women of Enugwu-Agidi in the Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Friday, protested over what they termed land grabbing and high-handedness by the President-General of the community, Ebuka Onuorah.
The demonstrators, largely elderly and middle-aged women, brandished placards and sang protest songs, urging the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to look into Onuorah’s activities.
They warned that if not stopped, the development might devastate the village.
The dissatisfied women marched around the community, singing and making unprintable insults about Onuora.
They pledged to oppose any attempt by the government or its agents to deprive their children of their inheritance.
Mrs. Grace Aghauche, the women’s leader and chairlady of Etiti Village, told journalists during the protest that the development was terrible.
She said, “The PG wants to turn us into refugees in our community, but we can’t be turned into internally displaced persons on our own land because of his land-grabbing activities.
“We are the women of Enugwu-Agidi. We are here to let the world hear our cry, especially our state governor, because all our efforts to let them listen to us have been scuttled.
“The PG is intimidating the women and has abandoned the constitution of the community. The women of the community have the Constitution guiding us, but the PG is using his position to impose leadership on us, and we categorically reject this.
“Apart from this, he encroaches on our lands. We have written several petitions, but nothing has happened.Day by day, he encroaches on our land with impunity and shares the land among themselves.
“We want the PG removed over these notorious acts, and we’re using this opportunity to appeal to our governor to look into this development and intervene so that peace will return to the community.”
Another demonstrator, Chinwe Udo, told journalists, “The PG is using security personnel to harass and intimidate perceived enemies, especially those who challenged his alleged evils against the community.
“Enugwu-Agidi ancestral farmlands are being sold out indiscriminately without prior notice; we no longer go to farm because there is no more land to farm, as all our farmlands are being sold.
“We call on the governor to intervene in this situation for us.”
However, in response to the development, the traditional ruler of Enugwu-Agidi, Igwe Michael Chidozie Okekeuche, through his Chief Press Secretary, Ichie Ifeanyi Ndulue, stated that he received the protesters’ petitions with deep concern and urged them to remain peaceful while efforts were underway to address their concerns.
The monarch said, “The troubling reports of an ongoing protest in our land, a protest rooted in pain, injustice, and a desperate cry for peace. We are witnessing what no community should ever endure.
“Allegations of rampant land grabbing, abuse of power by those entrusted with leadership, disruption of sacred burial and funeral rites in Etiti Village, rites that bind us to our ancestors, and the imposition of parallel leadership structures allegedly fueled by the Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union Nigeria, threatening the unity of our people.
“These actions have sown confusion, provoked unrest, and pushed our peaceful community to the brink. His Majesty fully recognizes the right of every Enugwu-Agidi indigene, young or old, man or woman, to raise their voices in peaceful protest. Your cry has been heard.
“Your grievances are not being ignored. But let us also remember: anger is not our tradition; violence is not our heritage. Enugwu-Agidi was built on dialogue, respect, and brotherhood. That is our true power.
“In line with the powers vested in him by Article 40, Sections 1 and 6 of the Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union Constitution, and in accordance with the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law 2007, Section 15, Subsection (I),
His Royal Highness calls on all our people to show restraint, even in the face of provocation. Let us not allow chaos to consume what generations before us labored to build.”
However, when approached, the controversial community PG, Ebuka Onuorah, rejected all charges of land grabbing and other violations against community members.
“All those allegations are lies. I am not a land grabber; I don’t belong to the land committee. They should channel their grievances to the land committee,” Onuorah added.
