Abia community, Umunneochi invades council secretariat in protest against 'prodigal' son

www.odogwublog.com reports that thousands of natives of Eluama Umuchieze Autonomous Community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia state yesterday trouped to Umunneochi local government headquarters, Nkwo-Agu, Isuochi in protest against one Dr. Borke Okwale, younger brother to the traditional ruler of their community, Eze Moses Okwale, whom they described as the biblical prodigal son.

As early as 10.30 a.m., the demonstrators arrived the council secretariat and headed straight towards the office of the Local Government boss, Mrs. Ijeoma Okorie and displayed their placards with various inscriptions.

Some of the inscriptions read in part: "Borke, we are not fools, Your are our major problem, We say not to tyranny, Eluama people are rejoicing because they are liberated from Borke leadership", among others.

Addressing the council boss, President-General of Eluama Development Union, EDU, Pastor Chukwudi Okoli, said they decided to embark on the demonstration because Dr. Borke Okwale is still parading himself as the Traditional Prime Minister of the community and at the same time using the position to intimidate the people.

Okoli who recalled that Borke even went as far as branding some of the leaders of the community criminals, said the major reason for the protest was that Borke impersonated himself as the youths leader and wrote a petition to Abia State House of Assembly complaining that Asphalt Unity Construction Limited, a major quarry company based in the community is not doing anything in favour of the community, in terms of rural development.

Also speaking, Pastor Emeka Okafor, the Financial Secretary of EDU; the Youth Leader, Chisom Ahieke; Woman Leader, Mrs. Rebecca Offor; Traditional Prime Minister, Samuel Nweke; Chief Reuben Okereke, a stakeholder and others, complained bitterly that Borke has caused a lot of disaffection in the area, through what he described as his divide-and-rule tactics.

In his own speech, The traditional ruler of the community, Moses Okwale who incidentally is the elder brother to Borke, said he was not happy that his own younger brother is leading a minority opposition and causing disaffection in a community he (Eze)  is ruling, adding that he had warned Borke severally to stop terrorizing the people but he would not listen.

The monarch who recalled that the state government, through the ministry of local government and chieftaincy matters had recognized the incumbent EDU executive and the Traditional Prime Minister who were elected in July this year, added that since the state and local governments had mediated into the matter between the incumbent executive and Borke's opposition minority group and recognized the incumbent, he has no other choice than to recognize the incumbent and dissociate himself from the Borke group, despite the fact that Borke is his younger brother.

Administrator of Asphalt Unity Company, Augustine Chinedu Okoroafor, alleged that Borke approached them and demanded to be paid N1 million monthly as royalty by the company, while parading himself as the Traditional Prime Minister but when the company refused to obliged him, he now posed as leader of the youths and wrote a petition against the company to Abia House of Assembly accusing the company of not doing anything favourable to the community.

Okoroafor said although the company is relatively new in the community, it has done so much for the people in terms of discharging its corporate social responsibility which made the people to be happy about its existence in the area and which explained why they are protesting against the petition Borke wrote against the company.

Responding, the council boss, Mrs. Okorie commended the people for applying a civil method of approaching this issue rather than taking laws into their hands and urged them to continue with their civility while the council investigates the matter, with a view to bringing a lasting solution to the worrisome scenario.

She recalled that she had mediated into the matter and recognized the incumbent Chukwudi Okoli-led leadership of EDU but expressed concern that the crisis is still in existence.

Efforts to get in touch with Borke on phone proved abortive as he did not respond to all the calls put across to him, by newsmen who covered the event.
    
pix 1 shows some elders of Eluama community leading the demonstrators
pix 2 and 3 show some of the placards
pix 4 shows Umunneochi council boss addressing the demonstrators
pix 5 shows demonstrators with placards
pix 6 shows from left Asphalt Unity Construction rep. another elder, council boss and Pastor Emeka Okafor, fin. sec. Eluama community

hi Local Government Area of Abia state yesterday trouped to Umunneochi local government headquarters, Nkwo-Agu, Isuochi in protest against one Dr. Borke Okwale, younger brother to the traditional ruler of their community, Eze Moses Okwale, whom they described as the biblical prodigal son.