Soludo Pledges Commitment to Resolving 8-year long Isuaniocha Crisis

By Obi Onuora Anambra state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has pledged his commitment towards addressing the intra-communal crisis that had been tearing Isuaniocha community in Awka North Local Government area apart in the past eight years.Governor Soludo, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Ernest Ezeajuyi stated this when placards-bearing protesters from Isuaniocha stormed the state government house, at Agu-Awka demanding for urgent intervention in the festering crisis in the town.

Anambra Daily can report that the protesters numbering over two hundred and made up of youths, aged men and women including the oldest man in the community mostly armed with placards of various inscriptions, marched to the gate of the government house and blocked the entrance, chanting solidarity songs and while demanding an audience with Governor Soludo.

The Chief of Staff who eventually received the protesters alongside the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Tony Nwabunwanne, said the Soludo administration would not relent in ensuring that sustainable peace returns to Isuaniocha and other communities embroiled in leadership tussle across the state.Ezeajuyi who commended Isuaniocha people for having the courage to speak with one voice, stated that the state government would hold a peace meeting with representatives of the eight villages of the Community including their acting President General, with a view of resolving the unpassed.According to him, the Soludo led government had recovered land belonging to many Secondary Schools across the state and so would recover that of Isuaniocha Secondary School. On the issue of certificate of recognition issued to Chief Mkpuora Ngini as the traditional ruler of the community, Ezeajuyi pledged that Governor Soludo would look into the demands of the people and give them feedback as soon as possible.

“we have heard your concerns and also read it on your placards, we heard all what you said, and to summarise is two major things, the land that people have taken in the secondary School and the issue of Igweship, so Mr Governor will look into your two main critical cases and come back to you,” he assured.Earlier, the leader of the Protesters and Acting President General of Isuaniocha, Mr Friedrik Egwunwa expressed regret that the state government had failed to keep earlier promise to set up a committee to look into the matter during their previous protest march. According to him, the failure of the government to act on their demands prompted them to block the gate of the government house so that proper attention would be giving to them.Mr Egwunwa insisted that Isuaniocha had a laid down procedure for selecting their traditional ruler and therefore would not allow the government to impose a monarch on them. Hear him: “The issue that brought us here is about Igweship, and Isuaniocha says we don’t need that Igweship now. What we want is peace. we have never elected Igwe in the history of Isuaniocha. We have process of choosing our Igwe and it’s not by election. The same people that sold the Community Secondary School land, connived together and imposed Igwe upon us so that they will close up their atrocities, but Isuaniocha is saying no to that. We will never accept that.”In an interview, the Commissioner of police, Anambra State, Mr Aderemi Adeoye who said he got a hint that some persons wanted to pull down the gate of the government house, said under the Nigerian Constitution, 1999as amended, individuals and Communities are guaranteed freedom of speech, Association and that the people have a right to be heard.Mr Adeoye however said such grievances must be aired in a peaceful manner while dialogue and negotiation should be the way to go and so must be embraced by all Communities including Isuaniocha.

He noted that the issue of Igweship and land matters were matters that could be resolved using dialogue mechanism without anyone resorting to violence.Our Correspondent reports that the placards carried by the people of Isuaniocha read in parts “Governor Soludo please give us peace in Isuaniocha”, “Isuaniocha need peace not War”, “Chikodi Anara should steer clear from Isuaniocha for Peace to return”, “Chikodi Anara and his cohorts like Cosmas Okonkwor”, “Onyemazi Ngini, Onuora Okoye and others have War machine terrorising Isuaniocha Community” among other write ups.