OIL COMMUNITY WRITES Gov. UZODINMA OVER ABSENTEE TRADITIONAL RULER
OIL COMMUNITY WRITES Gov. UZODINMA OVER ABSENTEE TRADITIONAL RULER
*Alleges rulership by proxy
*And embezzlement of development funds
By Our Correspondent
www.petroleumnewsngr.com
Tension is rising among the youths and elders of oil- rich Ochia Community in Ohaji/Egbema council area of Imo State over an alleged refusal of the Palace and Council of His Royal Highness (HRH) Eze (Barr.) Ekwueme P. Ekwueme to account for some community development funds. The people are also complaining of the long absence of their Eze, a lawyer, whom they accused of ruling by proxy against the needs and aspirations of the community.
In an open letter to the governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, the people alleged that the royal father left the community three and half years ago, ostensibly for medical treatment in the United States of America. “But he has since been in and out of the country and virile video on the internet has confirmed he is well and healthy but has failed to come back to his throne, thereby leaving the community drift like sheep without a shepherd”.
The letter which was signed by several executives of Ochia Tactical Committee for Project Monitoring also alleged that the Palace has refused, despite several entreaties by the people, to account for the sum of N22million received from the Watersmith Oil Exploration Company for community development projects as part of her Community relations responsibility. The Tactical Committee also told the governor that “Eze Ekwueme and his chief of staff Chief Udemba Iheaka used the N22million to erect a 2-room apartment and called it Security House”. Signatories to the Ochia complaint include Aloy Ogboka, Livinus Esiobi and Magnus Okehi for the home branch while Mgboji Olu and Dr.Edwin Obido signed for the Lagos and London branches respectively.
The Ochia people through their Ochia Tactical Committee also reported to the state governor that the N400, 000,000 which accrued the Ochia community from the General Memorandum of Understanding (Gmou) between Ochia and Assa Communities and Waltersmith oil Company under the Chairmanship of one Prof. Vitalis Nwulu had neither been deployed into any tangible community Utility or infrastructural development project for which it was meant nor accounted for. “Prof Vitalis Nwulu was nominated and single handedly appointed by the Eze and has apparently told him not to account for that huge sum to anybody or the people of Ochia in his absence. We have taken the matter to the state House of Assembly; they invited the Eze, he came and met members of the House but the people were not invited and the Eze left and flew back to the USA and the plight of the people remains unattended to”.
The traditional prime minister of Ochia kingdom Ezinna B. O. Nwulu was not available to speak on the points raised in the published letter to the governor and Prof Nwulu would not talk to the press and could not reply to test messages. However, a prominent source in Ochia had told this correspondent that the people are confident that the governor would not tolerate an absentee traditional ruler on the state government payroll. But our plea to the governor is that he may compel the Eze to surrender his crown, account for community funds in his possession and thereby let the people have fresh air and opportunity to elect another traditional ruler who would stay home and attend to the numerous issues affecting the wellbeing and development of the community, including but not limited to the adverse effects of the activities of oil companies operating in and around the Ochia community”, the source concluded.
