Aguleri -Umuleri Back to Trenches
The age-old Aguleri_Umuleri war was nearly re-enacted last Monday at the flag – off of the Umueri Airport Road by the Governor of Anambra State, Dr Willie Obiano who hails from Aguleri.
Trouble started when the kola nut presented at the function which held at Agbanabo Umueri, was broken by the traditional ruler of Enugwu Aguleri, Chief Augustine Chukwuemeka , Eri Akajiofor , an action which Umuleri community saw as a taboo in Igboland .
It was a horrible sight to see the traditional Prime Minister of Umuleri , Onowu Iyasele Michael Ekweonu deliberately humiliated and forcibly prevented from breaking kola nut in Umuleri land.
As if this embarrassment was not enough , when it was time for Umuleri community to present its address, Gov Willie Obiano prevented the Chairman of Umueri Caretaker Committee, Comrade Chike Odili from doing so , remarking that the address contained two false claims namely that Umuleri Airport was being referred to as ‘Aguleri Airport’ and that the High Court, Otu Ocha was referred to by the Media as High Court,Aguleri.
To make matters worse ,Comrade Odili was accused by Gov . Obiano as having been bought over by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “to re-enact the Aguleri-Umuleri War , and thereby discredit his government”. His Excellency further ordered that the copies of the address be collected for destruction and directed the CEO of New Idea Construction Company, Chief Ben Emeka to do so.The New Idea Construction Company did just what the governor asked him to do even as his fellow Umuleri people were amazed at his action. It was learnt that he had to carry out the gubernatorial assignment in order that the governor would not stop giving him contracts to execute.
In his remarks, Gov Obiano called on Anambra people to support APGA, saying the party meant well for Ndigbo. He also assured that the Umueri Aiirport Road would not be changed in the future.
Meanwhile, the plaque of the project which the governor unveiled surprisingly read “ Aguleri- Otu Ocha-Road-Umueri Airport Road”, another action which Umuleri people saw as a clear affront and part of the policy of ‘ Agulerizing’ the whole of Anambra East Local Government Area and Otu Ocha axis in particular..
Reacting to the series of insults hauled on them , a group which calls itself “ Umuleri Concerned Citizens” expressed dismay over the weekend regarding the” annexation, deprivation and subjugation of Umuleri community by the present Administration in Anambra State”. In a release it issued, the Co-Ordinator of the group, Ogbuanyinya Ekwego Okonkwo,called on the Federal Government, the South East Governors’ Forum and Ohanaeze Ndigbo to come to the rescue of Umuleri community, adding that the people can no longer bear the injustice meted out to them by the Obiano –led Administration.
They gave instances with the the references to the bridge which links Nneyi Umueri with Umueze Anam which , according to them is called “Aguleri Bridge” instead of “Umuleri –Umueze Anam Bridge”; Shell Road, Umueri which is referred to in official Government documents as part of Aguleri; Umuleri Lions Club which Government designates as Otu- Ocha Lions Club ( just to ensure the word “Umuleri” is obliterated from the surface of the Earth) and the conspiracy with the National Identity Card Management Agency to designate Odoakpu, Udabor and indeed all parts of Umueri( in Otu Ocha) as Aguleri.
Umuleri Concerned Citizens said the solution to their marginalization lay in the implementation of the White Paper issued by a previous Administration on Aguleri-Umulerii Crises as wel las a boundary demarcation in line with the Supreme Court judgement (1984) on Otu Ocha Land case between Umuleri and Aguleri people which Aguleri people boast , will never be implemented.
You be the judge.
Eziokwu Bu ndu
