The Odenigbo Royal Family, Akpakwume autonomous community, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, at the weekend, called on Governor Peter Mbah to intervene in the continued incarceration of the 86-year-old blind monarch, Igwe Ekwueme Odenigbo.
The royal father was last week remanded in correctional custody alongside his 33-year-old son, Izuchukwu, by an Enugu Magistrate’s Court for alleged arson, promotion of local war, and assault on police officers on lawful duty.
Children of the monarch, Pastor Solomon Ekwueme and Ozioma Roseline Ekwueme, who addressed newsmen in Enugu, stated that their father was unjustly being held, adding that some people had capitalised on his incapacity to tarnish his character and probably remove him as their monarch.
They also appealed to the Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Osita Ngwu; the Executive Chairman of Udi Local Government Area, Hyginus Ogbonnia Agu, and well-meaning Nigerians “to come to our help and effect the immediate release of our 86-year-old blind father and our younger brother from the Nigerian Correctional Center, Enugu,” stressing that they were incapable of committing the offences they were charged with.
Solomon, who came close to tears while addressing journalists, stated: “It is truly heartbreaking for us to be called back to Enugu with the news that our aged and blind father, a retired elder in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and the king of an entire community, has been locked up by the Nigerian Police and charged to a Magistrate’s Court and subsequently sent to the prison at the behest of a man that has been nothing short of a terror to the entire people of Akpakwume community.”
He alleged that some armed youths, led by a member of the cabinet (names withheld), had on December 23, 2024, barged into the palace of our father with over twenty boys bearing guns, axes, and machetes.
He said, “They tossed our father, the Igwe, around like a piece of rag, held our mother, the Lolo, in a chokehold, beat up some persons in the compound that tried to mount resistance, and forced their way into our father’s room, taking his certificate of oath, staff of office, and royal crown.
“They also made away with some of our father’s portraits, official stamp, and huge amounts of money accumulated from donations for the planned cabinet inauguration of his new Igwe-In-Council scheduled for the 31st of December 2024, and cash gifts from his subjects for the Christmas festivities, as well as cash that was safeguarded in our father’s room by us, his children.
“He claimed that the Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, and the Commissioner for Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, had dethroned our father and authorized him to carry out this action. This is a decision the people of Akpakwume are yet to receive any formal communication about to this date, and they have never heard any announcement from the Governor or Commissioner substantiating it.”
But in a swift reaction, the Commissioner, Deacon Ogbodo, stated that the monarch was undermining the state government and its economic interests and had therefore been suspended indefinitely.
He alleged that the monarch gave authorisation to a company, Eta-Zuma Mining Company, to mine in the community without the state government’s knowledge and approval, stressing that it amounted to playing double standards and causing a crisis in his community.
Ogbodo stated that the state government had reached an understanding with all communities with mineral resources, adding that the monarch promoted the crisis in the community by authorising mining that led to the burning of houses in the community recently.
He said the state government had recovered the certificate of oath and staff of office issued to the monarch.
But Solomon insisted that his blind royal father never authorised any mining in the community and never asked any member of the community to destroy or set property ablaze.
“We wish to make it known that our father, the Igwe, has never engaged in anything of this nature. Our community has had a proposal brought to the Igwe from Eta-Zuma Mining Company Ltd. This proposal was what led to the rumours that the Igwe had granted consent for mining activities illegally.
“It is on record and with evidence that our father, the Igwe, wrote a letter regarding this issue on December 3, 2024, to the Zonal Coordinator, Mining Cadastre Office, Southeast Zone, titled: Re: Denial of Consent to Eta-Zuma Mining Company by Akpakwume Community.
“Another letter in this regard was also written prior to the first one, addressed to the Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Chieftaincy Affairs, on November 26, 2024, titled: Affirmation of My Full Support for the Development Agenda of Our Dear Governor, His Excellency, Dr Peter Mbah, and Reaffirmation of My Cooperation with the State Government in the Matter of Solid Minerals Exploitation/Exploration in My Community.
“All these letters were addressed to different government offices and are open for public consumption. Our father has never and will never encourage this sort of activity. These allegations are not only damaging and malicious but are also wicked and purely devised to damage his hard-earned reputation,” he stated.
Appealing to Governor Mbah to come to their aid and nip the issue in the bud before it becomes worse, he added: “Our father is a sick, 86-year-old blind man with no capacity to inflict hurt on anyone. He has faced all kinds of tribulations at the hands of a cabinet member and his cohorts. Our brother is in no way a person of violence and would not engage in the activities he has been accused of. We are calling on well-meaning Nigerians to join their voices with ours and call on the government to release our father and brother from prison.”
The monarch and his son, who were summoned by the police following a petition from Chief Livinus Okolo that he allegedly incited youths to burn his house among other property, spent four days in police custody before being arraigned at a Magistrate’s Court on January 16.
When contacted, Chief Okolo stated that he decided to petition the police because he was the victim of the youth’s restiveness in the community, which claimed several properties, including his duplex and a construction site. He claimed the irate youths were working for the monarch.
He said the monarch was working against the constitution of the community and refused to listen to the voice of reason, adding that the law would take its course in the matter.