Heavens were let loose in Umuaka Autonomous Community,Njaba local government area last Saturday when the women in their numbers trooped out in mass to protest against the high level of alleged social abuse of public properties and embezzlement by the traditional ruler, HRH Eze Aloysius Ojinnaka and the purported members of Afor Umuaka Ultra Modern Market Building Committee.
The irate women from the community converged in the early hours of same day to carry out what they described as the mother of all protest in the community which started from the popular Hill Top primary School to the Afor Umuaka Market Square were the women used palm front to guide the contentious structures and thereafter proceeded to the Umuaka Community Bore Hole and sealed off the premises with the same new palm leaves ( omu nkwu).
Addressing newsmen, the Woman Leader, Mrs Josephine Igboanusi said that enough is enough for the over bearing influence of the monarch, Eze Ojinnaka who she said that have been enjoying the community property alone.
According to her, the people were denied ownership of the new shops irrespective of the facts that they are the original owners before the demolition exercise.
She accused, one Mr Uzoma Achazie and Philip Ajoku of witch hunting and embezzlement of the community fund in proxy by failure to render accurate account of their stewardship as the Afor Umuaka Project Supervisor and Bore Hole Controller,respectively.
She said, the final straw that broke the carmel back is the negligence to the plight of the people by their actions to allot shops to their cronies and friends without record and accountability, so the only way to show concern is through the protest to tell the world what is happening and the government as well.
She called on the governor, Hon Emeka Ihedioha to come to their rescue to ensure that no live and property’s are lost as the crisis has continued to rock the community and all the attempt by their husbands to ensure peaceful resolution proved abortive as she alleged the Monarch has developed a deaf ear to their plight and suffering of the women who have neither any shop nor a place to sell their wares even when there is no other indigenous market in the area.
Addressing the women ,the Chairman Njaba Local government area Transition Committee, Hon Obodoshaa Agwubuo said that the problem would be resolved amicable and thank the women for the peaceful protest.
He stated that already a proterm resolution have been made to allow peace to reign. He said henceforth no structures or building work will be allowed to go on ” it is now suspended”, he said also the bore hole mentioned by the women also have to be sealed untill further notice.
Ih his remarks, the Njaba Divisional Police Officer, Mr Danguma Ragga said police have come into the matter to ensure peace in the area and explained to the women of one taking laws into the hands.
He stated that the matter will be judiciously looked into with aim of peace resolution and called on the women to always be in contact with the police when embarking on such mission to avoid breakdown of law and order.
Contributing, the President General Umuaka Community, Mr Maxwell Ezike the women are protesting over the non inclusion of the people in the allocation of the new shops and Eze Ojinnaka’s over bearing influence on the community properties as if he is the sole owner, intimidation and harassment of the people and illegal accumulation of shops and lack of financial accountability by his market building committees.
