Youths in Owo, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State (Gov Peter Mbah’s Community) in their number have protested alleged land grabbing and other offences committed by HRH Igwe Godwin Okeke Arum and a former President General,PG, Mr Okeke Akpu.
In a viral video, the youths chanting solidarity songs with placards bearing different inscriptions, including; “Okeke Arum,leave Owo Kingdom alone”, “Okeke Arum mind Mburu Owo Autonomous Community” among others went round the community to register their annoyance against the Traditional Ruler, and a former President General (PG) Owo Town Union, Mr Okeke Akpu.
Speaking, the President General of Owo Town Union, Prince Augustine Nnajieze, said their protest is against alleged atrocities committed by Igwe Godwin Okeke Arum, including turning the Community Neighbourhood Watch to his personal security and thugs by which he harasses and intimidates anybody against him.
“Okeke Arum is not the Igwe of Owo,but the Igwe of Mburu Owo Autonomous Community,yet he is forcing himself on the entire community. This man has committed so much atrocities in Owo Town, that he has turned the Enugu State Neighbourhood Watch into his personal security and thugs. He uses the Neighborhood Watch to harass, intimidate and kill anybody who disagrees with him.
“The Owo Community has no traditional ruler,but he wants everybody to come and bow to him. The very moment you don’t accept to bow before him,you become an enemy.
Igwe Okeke Arum, sold a land that belongs to Asisi village to the Governor, His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah and pocketed the money. The land was sold to the governor for 200,000,000(Two Hundred Million Naira) by the agreement of the whole community, but the man started spending the money, by constructing roads and other things without consulting the community.
“The community does not have a traditional ruler today, because of the man’s many activities. The Asisi village is in crisis because the man has been selling land that belongs to everybody,he sold the land where we have boundary with Ndiagu. If it were not for him,we don’t have any reason to be dragging land with our brothers in Ndiagu Owo.
“The former governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi once called him to leave Owo Town and mind Mburu Owo Autonomous Community,but he refused. The crisis in Ohani,Ogara and other clans over sales of community lands are from him.
“We are pleading with the Governor, His Excellency Peter Mbah to please deliver us from the hand of this man.
“His Excellency should please save us from the terror of this man ,so that we can select the person that will be our traditional ruler by ourselves
Also, the people of Obeagu Ohani Owo (one of the clans that form the Mburu-Owo Autonomous community) expressed displeasure and unwillingness to continue to be part of the Mbulu Owo Autonomous community.
Speaking, the Chairman Ohani Owo Development Association, Hon Emmanuel Egbo said that going by the terror from the autonomous ruler,Igwe Okeke Arum, who terrorizes people with his armed men and has never deem it fit to influence any little basic amenities like motorable road and electricity, which he is enjoying in his area,the people are no longer interested in being part of the autonomous community.
He said,the people are equally threatened with his divide and rule system which is only a ploy to weaken their strength in order to succeed in his unsearchable quest to grab the lands left behind by their ancestors.
“What this man is doing is abominable,he is presently bulldozing people’s farmland, appropriating and selling same.
I don’t know what he has in mind, because,he has some cronies among our people. Even,he locked the community head,and we have been on the case for sometime now.
Reacting via telephone, Igwe Okeke Arum said, he doesn’t talk to anybody on telephone, but anybody who wants to know his side of the story should come to his house to interview him.