Some indigenes of Nguru community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State have passed vote of no confidence on its traditional ruler, Igwe Linus Obayi.
The people made their feelings known during a protest in the community on Monday over the alleged high handedness of the community head especially his non-recognition of its town union.
Some of the placards carried by about 500 protesters read; “Igwe Linus Obayi must go,” “We want Nguru Town Union or nothing; Gov. Ugwuanyi, we know you for your uprightness come to our rescue.”
Others are “Obayi, why are you against the development of Nguru community and Obayi stop selling our community land.”
The leader of the protest, Prof. Tony Onyishi, of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), said the objective was to show the community’s dissatisfaction over Obayi’s refusal to allow town union executives to function in the past four years.
According to Onyishi, the absence of town union has stalled development and denied the community representation in many occasions in the local and state government.
“It’s unfortunate that series of efforts to install town union executives have been scuttled and frustrated by the traditional ruler.
“Obayi refuses to allow town union members elected by the community last year to function.
“The traditional ruler insists that he should be the only one to appoint town union leaders in the community. So we are using the protest to pass a vote of no confidence on him,” Onyishi said.
The professor urged the traditional ruler to allow the will of the people to prevail warning that if he failed to do so, the community would invoke relevant laws and seek for his removal.
Prof. Ike Onyishi, Head of Department (HOD), Psychology, UNN, said that Obayi’s refusal was an act against the will and wishes of the people.
The HOD said that other communities in Nsukka town like Achara, Umukashi and Nru have town unions, adding, “I don’t know why Nguru own will be an exception.”
He stated that Obayi should allow the union members to function so that the community would not ask the state government to remove him as the traditional ruler.
He alleged that officials from the Ministry of Rural Development that scheduled a visit to Nguru on Monday to ensure that the town union was recognised had been stopped from coming.
“Information available says our traditional ruler used his office to stop them from coming.
“The number of stakeholders in the community involved in this protest will showed that majority of residents are not happy with Obayi.
“You know what it means for somebody like me to join this protest, it’s because I know all is not well in my community,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Uchenna Ugwu, President-General elect of the town union said that the traditional ruler refused to recognise the executives elected into office in since April 2021.
According to Ugwu, Obayi said the only town union he will recognise and allow to work is the one he selects.
He said that the constitution of Nguru community gave 10 villages and two satellite towns the power to elect two people that would represent them in the town union.
“There is no place in the constitution that says the traditional ruler should select those that will be members of the town union,” he said.
The protesters called on Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to intervene to avoid breakdown of law and order.
”If after this protest there’s no change the community will ask Enugu state government to remove him and give the community another traditional ruler,” he said.
When contacted, the traditional ruler did not respond to the allegations and issues raised.
Obayi said he was not in the mood to comment on the allegations.
“I am not in the mood to speak on these allegations now, when I am ready I will make my position public,” he said.