The monarchs of Ezekunna and Ezzegu communities in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State are currently having disagreements over control of a village in the state.
Ezeogo Innocent Nworie and his counterpart of Ezzagu Community, Ezeogo Chinedu Nwankwo are at daggers drawn over an overriding control and headship of a place known as Eguho.
Though not an autonomous community, Eguho comprises of 13 villages cohabitated by the people of Ezekunna and Ezzagu communities under the two monarchs.
However, all efforts for Eguho to gain autonomous community out of the two communities failed during the administration of the first civilian governor of the state, Sam Egwu.
The crisis ensued recently when Ezeogo Chinedu Nwankwo of Ezzagu community allegedly stormed Eguho to conduct the election of the home branch executives, claiming that his Ezekunna counterpart authorised him to oversee the affairs of the place.
But, Ezeogo Nworie in his swift reaction through a letter tagged: “Call to Order”, dated October 10, 2024 and was addressed to Ezeogo Chinedu Nwankwo, denied that he never delegated his counterpart to act, interfere or oversee any activities going on in Eguho.
The letter reads in part, “I write to advise that you stay off from every territorial encroachment within my community Ezekunna. I want to state categorically that henceforth I don’t want you to interfere on issues within my community which Eguho is inclusive”.
“The boundaries of Ezekunna and Ezzagu is at the Slaughter House down to Aguobodo and Obegu Isu. I wish to state categorically clear that I am physically fit and sound to discharge my duties as the traditional ruler of Ezekunna community and have never in any way abdicated my duties nor delegated my functions to you as claimed.
“I therefore advise that you avoid anything that is capable of causing crisis between the two brother communities. This is my 24 years as the traditional ruler of Ezekunna community and even your predecessor, late Linus Enyiukpor, Ezechima 1 of Ezzagu, we never had any issues with our territories.”
The National President of Eguho Development Union, Innocent Igwe noted that the interference of the traditional rulers was capable of causing crisis between the two kindreds.
Igwe further called on state governor, Francis Nwifuru to intervene and quell the looming crisis by declaring Eguho as an autonomous community.
“Eguho has 13 villages and highest voting strength in the old Ezzagu zone. In Eguho, Ezzagu and Ezekunna people live interwoven in peace, unity and harmony. Eguho has large land mass. The only solution to this bickering is to make Eguho an autonomous community, the National President said.
In a letter written by Eguho Indigenous Lawyers through Hans Offia Chambers to the two warring monarchs, they maintained that none of them has exclusive jurisdiction in the affairs of Eguho since both kindreds live together in the place.
