Indigenes of Abacha community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State have staged a peaceful protest at the Government House in Awka, calling on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to intervene in a lingering leadership crisis threatening the community’s peace.
The protesters, numbering hundreds, stormed the seat of power on Tuesday, carrying placards with various inscriptions demanding the governor’s intervention to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.
The demonstration was led by the Traditional Prime Minister of Abacha community, Chief Jonas Okafor, who warned that tensions were escalating, with angry youths threatening to resort to violence over the leadership dispute.
Addressing government officials who received the protesters, Okafor explained that Abacha community comprises two major villages, Akanato and Umudisi, which operate a power-sharing arrangement for key traditional and administrative positions.
He said the arrangement covers the positions of traditional ruler, traditional prime minister, Onowu and president general of the community.
According to him, while the traditional ruler and Onowu positions are held by the respective villages, the position of president general rotates among families that have occupied the Onowu position to ensure fairness and balance in community leadership.
However, the protesters, who are from the Akanato section of the community, accused the traditional ruler of undermining the established arrangement by allegedly facilitating the emergence of a president general from his own village.
They argued that the alleged move violated the power-sharing agreement that had helped maintain peace and political balance in the community.
Appealing to Soludo, Okafor said the situation had become increasingly tense, warning that the community’s youths were growing frustrated despite efforts by elders to prevent violence.
“We are here to beg our governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to intervene because the crisis in our community may get to a time when it may get out of hand.
“Right now, the youths of the community are very bitter, but we have been calming them down; but for how long can we hold them?” he said.
Okafor also expressed surprise that the traditional ruler, who allegedly benefited from the same power-sharing arrangement, was now working against it.
He maintained that the peaceful protest was organised to prevent violence and encourage government intervention before the dispute escalated.
Responding, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Okechi Egbuna, thanked the protesters for conducting themselves peacefully.
Egbuna assured them that Governor Soludo would intervene in the matter and work towards an amicable resolution of the leadership crisis.
