Igwe Ekwueme Of Oko Still Traumatized , Probe Panel To Begin Work Tommorrow

Whereabouts of the traditional ruler of Oko and a prominent Professor of Music , Igwe Laz Ekwueme is still unknown to his cabinet and members of the Oko community. They are concerned even as an inside source said the first class Monarch is traumatized over the weekend’s invasion of his house by his subjects even if such handful don’t believe in him.

odogwuemekaodogwu.com reports that an indigene Ernest Okafor confirmed that they are worried over the disappearance of their monarch as he has not visited home since after the incident should he took refuge somewhere and has not either resurfaced if in the palace. He blamed the crisis on those banned by the community but pronounced by the Monarch by defying the orders of the community.

He said they want to see him address them as they have lost hope in Nigerian police over the incident. He said for the monarch’s vehicles to be burnt and his home vandalized and looted , it means nobody including the students of the Polytechnic is safe.  He was worried that police has made no arrest as those who burnt people’s property are going about unmolested even when they are known.

This is coming as the Chairman of Orumba North local government area , Chief Okey Enekwe will today inaugurate the committee of inquiry into the mayhem that besieged Oko community in Orumba North that led to burning of vehicles and motorcycles as well as vandalizing and looting of property worth several millions of naira.

The committee led by the Former President General of Awa Community and a frontline contractor , Chief Paul Nwafor has five members as well as representative from the police and SSS.

Meanwhile the Army and police have withdrawn from the community as normalcy has returned just as both those against the monarch and those in support of the monarch have started dusting up their files to appear before the Nwafor led committee of inquiry.  

The President General of Oko Cyprian Nwanmuo accused a group of cabal of fueling the crisis in Oko community alleging that it was the crisis of who becomes the Rector of Oko Polytechnic that snowballed into the group of renegades defying orders of the community that there would be no masquerade. He alleged that some of the community members were supporting Prof Godwin Onu while others were not and it happened that Igwe Ekwueme and others against his second tenure for good reasons of the community became targets of the attack of those who perpetuated the evil but reminded that they are known in the community.

But the Polytechnic management led by Prof Godwin Onu said Nwanmuo would explain how the Polytechnic is linked with the latest crisis in Oko and gave him 24 hours to apologize to the Polytechnic management or face the music in the court of law. The PRO , Obini Onuchukwu was quoted as saying that adding that the Polytechnic has no hand in the latest masquerade crisis in Oko community.

The Youths led by Evangelist Hilary Ezeokafor came out hard on the Monarch, Prof Laz Ekwueme and demanded for his dethronement since accrediting to them he is plotting evil against his subjects. They did not stop there they called on Inspector General of Police to arrest him probably strengthened by the allegedly open caution on the monarch by IG during security summit in Awka.

The youth leader said: “It beats my imagination that Mr. Cyprian Nwammuo who has not been in good terms with the Oko Youth Movement because we chose not to support his witch-hunting and his anti-rector’s activities against the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Prof Godwin Onu, has chosen to blackmail the leadership and members of Oko Youth Movement with these unfounded allegations and/or fallacies.”

Igwe Ekwueme was quoted to have said, “Anyway, I am not in a position to talk to the press now. I am sorry, thank you.”

By and large there is confusion in Oko community and the Federal Polytechnic Oko students hoping that the strike would be called off for them to come back to school are agitated that the community and the Polytechnic had been in the news for wrong reasons in the last six months and appealed on the Federal Government to restore peace in the citadel and Governor Willie Obiano to intervene in the crisis rocking Oko community as it may snowball into inter community war. Ends

Youths want monarch Dethroned

Following the attack on the palace of the traditional ruler of Oko in Orumba North Local Government of Anambra state, Saturday night where two of his vehicles were burnt and wall of his house touched, occasioned by the shooting of a masquerade by a soldier, the youths of the community yesterday called for the dethronement of the monarch, Igwe Prof. Laz Ekwueme for allegedly plotting evil against his subjects.

The youths under the aegis of Oko Youth Movement (OYM) and led by Evangelist Hillary Ezeokafor also called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubarka to arrest the monarch for allegedly “unleashing terror against the community.”

Their call came just as the Chairman, Orumba North local government Chief Okey Enekwe yesterday announced the setting up of a five man investigative panel of inquiry into the mayhem to determine the remote and immediate curses of the commotion that led to burning of property and shooting of a masquerade.

Also yesterday, the management of the Federal Polytechnic Oko, said the institution has nothing to do with the mayhem in the community last Saturday, threatening that it would seek legal redress if the President-General of the OPU, Mr. Cyprian Nwammuo fails within 24 hours to retract the statement linking the Rector of the institution to the incident.

Briefing newsmen yesterday, the OYM leader, Evangelist Ezeokafor called on Anambra State Government to “as a matter of urgency dethrone” Igwe Ekwueme for allegedly hatching evil plan against his subjects.

The youths called on the federal government to remove the monarch as the chairman of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) insisting that he would be a bad influence to the students.

They denied ever being part of what happened on Saturday saying, “First of all, I want to make it very clear that Oko Youth Movement did not engage in any form of protest yesterday being 19^th April, 2014, whether violent or peaceful as was reported by the National President of OPU, Mr. Cyprian Nwammuo.

“Secondly, the Oko Youth Movement is not an affiliate of Oko Masquerade Society or association and therefore, it is a fallacy that soldiers shot at the members of the rampaging Oko Youth Movement in masquerade attire and wounding many others as carried by some national dailies.

“It beats my imagination that Mr. Cyprian Nwammuo who has not been in good terms with the Oko Youth Movement because we chose not to support his witch-hunting and his anti-rector’s activities against the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Prof Godwin Onu, has chosen to blackmail the leadership and members of Oko Youth Movement with these unfounded allegations and/or fallacies.”

Also speaking to newsmen yesterday, the Public Relations Officer of Oko Poly, Mr Obini Onuchukwu stressed that what happened in the community was purely the affairs of the community and must not be associated with the polytechnic as linking the institution to it was “misleading and unfounded.”

He said, “We have to say it categorically that the crisis has nothing to do with the Federal Polytechnic Oko or its Rector, Professor Godwin Onu. The Rector is a focused person and has nothing to do with such issues.”

However announcing the setting up of the committee of inquiry, the Council boss, Chief Enekwe who inspected the scene of the incident named former President General of Awa Chief Paul Nwafor as the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Chijioke Onuorah as the secretary, Bundus Oguejioffor, Dr G.U Nweke, Chimezie Ezechukwu from Oko as well as representative of the SSS and Police as members.  

He said, “The police is on top of the situation because I saw over 20 vans of the Anti-riot police men in Oko during my on the spot assessment. We are setting up a five man panel of inquiry led by former PG of Awa and Onowu Awa, Chief Paul Nwafor.

“I apologize to everybody for that breech of peace and I am asking them to be calm as everything would be resolved because the Governor Chief Willie Obiano is not happy and would not want to hear such stories again about communal crisis or such rioting and protests that had property vandalized and looted as well as a life feared killed. Governor Obiano wants peace, unity and solidarity to come from all the 177 communities not war and protests please. Everybody should be calm.”

Meanwhile, when Igwe Ekwueme was contacted on phone yesterday, he refused to speak on the incident but simply said, “Anyway, I am not in a position to talk to the press now. I am sorry, thank you.”

It could be recalled that penultimate week, the Inspector General of Police, Abubarka had at a security summit organized by the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano at the Women Development Centre, Awka warned Igwe Ekwueme to stop causing confusion in his domain, as the police would deal with any monarch who does so henceforth.

Story from Geofrey Anyanwu of the sun