A community in Anambra state is in the news for the wrong reason bothering on the leadership of town union. OKECHUKWU ONUEGBU reports that if the state government does nothing, it may snowball into a major crisis.
The relative peace reported to be creeping into the ancient Nando community in Anambra East local government area of Anambra state may suffer a set-back if the attention of the state government tarries further.
A twist in some communal/ political issues led to a peaceful demonstration by some indigenes of the community. The protest which lasted for almost one week paralysed economic activities of the community. On one of such demonstrations which is under the leadership of the community led by Anthony-Mary Amali was introduced amidst show of love by a faction loyal to him.
But the sacked president general of Nando Development Union (NDU), Chief Ignatius Aghadinuno, has approached court to seek redress, alleging that the process leading to the dissolution of his government did not follow due process.
Aghadinuno, who equally petitioned the Anambra State Association of Town Union (ASATU) where he functions as secretary general to a committee on conflict resolutions, raised alarm over the content of the letter through which his executive was dissolved.
The said letter was from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters addressed to the leadership and people of Nando community with the title: ‘Dissolution of Nando Town Union Executive Committee led by Mr Ignatius Aghadinuno. He faulted it saying that it should have been addressed to the town union or their traditional ruler.
The letter dated August 7, 2019 read, “This is to convey the decision of the state government dissolving the executive of Nando Town Union led by Mr Ignatius Aghadinuno owing to security reasons in the community.
“The dissolution is with immediate effect. Please be informed that the state government has decided to constitute a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of Nando community. Be guided accordingly.”
Again, the name on the letter is Hon Greg Obi but the signatory read, ‘For Vera Okonkwo’. Obi is the state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs while Okonkwo is special adviser to Governor Obiano on community and chieftaincy affairs.
According to Aghadinuno, “I will go to court. I am a man of peace. I have decided to seek redress on my illegal removal from office. There is nothing crazy on removing president general. But it must follow due process. Otherwise people would always kick off elected presidents general. We want to set the record straight,” he disclosed.
He said there was neither a crisis nor security threat in the community and he had never been invited for security reason. The traditional ruler of Nando, Regent Chinedu Nwakonuche, said he too was unaware of any security breach in Nando.
The embattled PG, however, exonerated the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano and his wife, Chief Ebelechukwu Obiano, from the crisis, alleging that his removal was rather perfected by some politicians from the community who want to remove him for not been loyal to them.
“I know that our working governor is unaware of what is happening. Someone is sitting on our letters addressed to him. If he is aware he would have reverse it. We are using the media to call his attention. We don’t want anarchy in government,” he maintained.
Aghadinuno became president general of the community on January 27, 2018 and his tenure is expected to expire on January 27, 2022. His tenure had so far attracted several communal developmental projects sponsored by the state government and World Bank.
According to investigation, these include the state government community infrastructural programme (N20m-choose-your project), renovation of Nkwo market, N1m counterpart fund for World Bank N10m community social development agency, renovation of a five classroom blocks, ongoing Nando skills acquisition centre, Abube-Agu health post, fencing of community secondary school Nando, and renovation of Nando General Hospital.
He also denied allegations of sponsoring a protest against the state government and land grabbing, asking anyone with evidence of embezzlement or land grabbing against him to come up with the fact.
Land issue
There had been allegations that some communal lands were sold to Fulani herdsmen and others.
The leader/chairman of the constituted caretaker committee of the town union, Sir Anthony-Mary Amali, had when addressing his supporters, refuted the allegations, describing it as unsubstantiated allegations aimed at tarnishing the image of Mrs Obiano and Hon. Leo Ogbuefi.
According to Amali, as an Ogbunike-born daughter of their matriarch named Iguedo, the governor’s wife needs not to hide under any guise to acquire land title from Nando, if she so desires.
He observed that governor Obiano has shown special affection to the natives through the N20 million community infrastructure (Choose-Your-Community Project), in addition to the construction of roads traversing Ikem – Nando – SARS Awkuzu; Nado – Igbozunu – Aguleri – Achalla – Igbariam road.
“Some miscreants were hired and mobilised to the Nando market to disrupt the peace of the community which paralysed business activities, carrying fake news insinuating that Governor Obiano’s wife and our son Ogbuefi were involved in land deals. We apologise to two of them for the public outburst,” he said.
Speaking on the lands grabbing issue, Aghadinuno said they were lies fabricated by those bent on removing him to make way for them to install a new monarch. Blueprint gathered that the community’s traditional ruler Igwe Nnaluo Nnaba (Ezeodibeve IV) joined his ancestors some years back. But he is still been represented by a Regent, Igwe Chinedu Nwakonauche pending when his last Ofala would be conducted.
A section of the community had petitioned the regent accusing the sacked president general of grabbing and selling their lands. But when they were allegedly invited to settle the matter at the Igwe’s palace, they were not found. As a result, investigation was conducted which showed that the said land was sold to a church by the village that owns it and not the president general even though he hails from the community.
Following the discovery, the Igwe and the entire community passed a vote of confidence on Aghadinuno, a copy of which was obtained by Blueprint says, “A written resolution of vote of confidence on Mr Ignatius Aghadinuno, the president general of Nando community passed on this day, August 9, 2019 by a convention of the entire Nando community at the palace of HRH Igwe Nnaba Aghaeze, Eze Odibeze IV of Nando, presided over by HRH Igwe Chinedu Nwakonuche the regent of Nando community.”
It was signed by 14 people representing various villages and other interest groups in Nando. The town’s regent, HRH Chinedu Nwakonuche, while corroborating this story said his cabinet and the entire Nando community fined the petitioners N200,000 for smearing the image of Aghadinuno.
Traditional rulership angle
It was also alleged that the crisis was caused by the tussle to occupy Nando traditional stool. Blueprint learnt that the last Ofala festival of Igwe Nnaba which was billed to hold last year was shifted due to court action.
Regent Nwakonouche, who represent him said they instituted a court injunction against crowing Chief John Iwuno, a philanthropist as a traditional ruler of the community. According to the regent, even though they are both from the same village of Agbudu, it is only his own family, Umuezeora that are customarily qualified to rule as monarch in hereditary succession.
Sources said that traditional rulers in the community since 60’s had been from the family. Aghadinuno was alleged to be supporting the regent on ensuring that the Igwe remains in his family, where as some politicians were allegedly plotting for any leadership through which they could get government to issue a certificate of recognition to their loyalist as Igwe on the contrary.
However, when contacted, Chief John Iwuno (Igwe Council) said the Igweship matter is in court as such he would not like to comment to avoid pre-empting the court. He, however, said the removal of Chief Aghadinuno as president general has nothing to do with who becomes the next king of the community, but a government decision which is purely a security-related matter.
