Indigenes of Mkpu-Nando in the Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State has begun a protest against their monarch, Igwe Alex Edozieuno, for allegedly misappropriating N150m belonging to the community.
In a protest on Tuesday, the youth and women of the community asked the monarch to produce the missing money to avoid further rage.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, ‘He must refund our money’, ‘We don’t need this kind of monarch again’, ‘This Igwe should be arrested and prosecuted’, ‘Governor Willie Obiano come and rescue’.
They marched on the Ama Umuawulu village square and other roads in the community, including the frontage of the monarch’s palace singing uncomplimentary songs about the Igwe.
Speaking to newsmen, the leader of the protesters, Ifeanyi Iloakasia, a lawyer, explained that the N150m was the compensation the state government paid to the community for its acquired land.
Iloakasia stated, “If the government fails to intervene and retrieve the money from Igwe, we will not have any option but to resort to self-help.
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“The monarch and the estate valuer are in an unholy alliance to rip off the Mkpunando community and we will not allow this to happen in our place.
“The total money paid to the community by the government was N150m, while the commission was N15m for the facilitators and till date, we have not received any thing from the Igwe.”
But reacting to the protect, Edozieuno described the protesters as liars, adding that he did not owe anybody or group.
He said the main issue for the protesters’ action was not the money, but because he defeated the family of the initiators during the kingship contest.
The Igwe stated, “Since then, some of them have refused to give up.
“They know that I am a rich man that I have no reason to touch their money. I made money when I was 20 years old and bought my first car at that age also. Their allegations hold no water.”