The recently coronated traditional ruler of Ezzagu autonomous community, Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi State, Eze Chinedu Nwankwo has been quoted as claiming to be a personal native doctor to the governor of Ebonyi st
ate, Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. According to report, he says this in his malicious effort to scare his people and command respect, claiming further that when the governor went sick, he was the one who administered native and spiritual medications on him causing his unexpected rapid recuperation. For this reason holds a large space in the governor’s heart and office.
Eze Chinedu Nwankwo has been a medicine man for a long time before his emergence as traditional ruler a year ago. Story was told that he has been using his spiritual powers and alleged connection with the state government to intimidate the people of Aguhuo, a large component of the neighboring Ezekuna community that has been agitating for a sovereign autonomous community of its own from the Ezekuna traditional autonomous community. The Aguhuo axis of the Ezekuna community is said to be a very large place that should be accorded an autonomous community status, moreover as the traditional ruler of Ezzagu, Eze Chinedu Nwankwo has been doing everything within his strength to intimidate the people of the area. He was quoted as threatening that with his influence as the governor’s spiritualist, the aspiration of the people of Aguhuo to be autonomous would not be actualized as he’d always truncate it.
The latest of such brazen attacks on Aguhuo was the encroachment of the Aguhuo lands by the traditional ruler, wanting to cede the land to himself as a personal estate. The emerging crisis brewing in the community if not waded into by the government of Ebonyi state could degenerate into a full blown insurrection. Instance was given about the flagrant misbehaviour of Eze Chinedu Nwankwo when he implemented his decision of building a traditional palace inside Aguogboriga, Ebonyi local government area with the fifty million naira incentive for each traditional ruler in Ebonyi state made available by the government. It’s reported that the governor wasn’t at home with this decision to build a palace at the state capital instead of his community which has been the usual practice. Recall that the governor of Ebonyi state made available the sum of N50 million to each traditional ruler to build a fitting palace for himself, an action that has since sparked outrage within and outside the state.
Our investigation has revealed that Eze Chinedu Nwankwo is a witch doctor who has been threatening the people opposed to his ideology and leadership style with it. He’s also alleged to have been a master of shoddy deals. A case in point is a petition against him at the Zone 13 of the Nigeria Police Force in Ukpo, Anambra State over a failed shoddy deal involving him against one Canice Nwaleke, a crime the traditional ruler admitted to, and accepted to pay the money involved, N16 million to the victim, Nwaleke from Aguhuo, Ezekuna autonomous community.
The people of Aguhuo are pleading with the government of Ebonyi state to accord the community the right of autonomy to be able to fight for the rights of the community from intruders such as Chinedu Nwankwo who has overtime constituted himself as the evil fashioned against the people of Aguhuo. The people are pleading this premising it on the fact that they have the population reach to exist as an autonomous community. They’re also begging the governor to come to their rescue by telling the traditional ruler, Eze Chinedu Nwankwo to steer clear of their ancestral landed property, and at the same time stop threatening people with his perceived affinity to the governor, Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, cautioning that it could breed bad blood to the image of the governor and the his administration, urging him to consider an outright action that could nip the excesses of Eze Chinedu Nwankwo in the bud once and for all so they wouldn’t be break down of law and order in the area.