By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
Palpable fear has allegedly gripped the people of Oba community, Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra State, following threats of killings from a South African based son of the community, Afamefuna Egwuenu, (a.k.a. Afam Japanga), through a voice record, that heads will role if the youths, the rich and some Igweship candidates frustrate the smooth conduct of Igwe Ezeokpoko 11 election in the community.
The voice record read in part thus, “The youths if you allow yourselves to be corrupted because I heard you collected #7million from one of the candidates for Igweship election, somebody I did not know how he emerged as Ezeigbo in Lagos, and if you allow one Ukadike that is out to destroy Oba, to use you, then wait for the catastrophe from me that will befall you, this is not boasting, as I said so shall it be.
“I am not interested in my property in Oba, I can set my house ablaze to tell you that I am serious and not losing anything in Oba, those who doubt my threat because I want peaceful conduct of Igweship election in Oba, let them try me and see,” he vowed.
“If Njubigbo fails during the screening for the Ezeokpoko 11 election, he should go home and rest, any one who doubts my threat let’s see how it goes. Njubigbo and Ukadike want to destroy Oba,” he further explained.
The threatening voice of Afam Japanga which is in most of the platforms of Oba people, has resulted in some indigenes demanding reaction from the President General, PG, of Oba Patriotic Union, OPU, Chief Anthony Uzor Ejiofor, even as security agencies are said to also been aware of the threat.
Some said that the PG should not deny knowledge of the threats from Afam Japanga adding that he, PG, is an Admin in more than two of the Oba platforms where the threatening voice is heard.
To buttress their claim they mentioned two of the platforms as, OPU executive platform and Oba Ezugo platform, recalling also that the situation in Oba is worsened by Afam Japanga’s claim of responsibility for the Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area church massacre some years ago.
In a swift reaction when contacted, the PG of OPU, Ejiofor, told newsmen that he has not known the South African based son from Adam and wondered why those he described as enemies of the community should link him up to Afam Japanga.
“Some people may have brought him (Afam Japanga), to the limelight, Afam Japanga did not just come out, circumstances in Oba invited him. During Okuzu Oba village election for Igweship, how come Afam Japanga started mentioning Ukadike’s name and why did Afam ask him to steer clear of the venue of the election. I don’t know Afam.
“On the 18th June as we were about to commence screening of the four Igweship candidates at Nkwo Civic centre, the Oba Youth President, Hon. Ebuka Ochudo, rushed and turned the tables upside down and scattered the entire thing, saying that there will not be screening for the Igweship election.
“Is that a way he should channel his grievances, he wants to topple OPU by his action. Why did Dozie Nweke, Ukadike and cohorts not react to this incident. Afam Japanga condemned the stoppage of the screening that day by the Youths President and advised him not to disrupt the process of conduct of the election again and steer clear of the venue.
“Ebuka Ochudo may have been sponsored to do what he did. So Afam Japanga may have meant to tell Ebuka that if he is strong that he (Afam Japanga) is stronger,” the PG stated
It was gathered however, that the chairman of Idemili South council Area, Hon. Amaka Obi, on a tip-off invited the Youths President and the PG, and called Ochudo to order.
