In a dramatic display of outrage, protesters from Awba Ofemili descended upon Anambra Government House in Awka on Wednesday, unleashing their fury against the alleged atrocities committed by their monarch, Igwe Ernest Maduagwuna.
The demonstrators condemned a litany of horrific acts—killings, the incineration of homes, and the ruthless confiscation of 2,000 bags of rice and livestock—as they demanded the king’s immediate dethronement.
Bearing placards emblazoned with urgent messages like “We say no to killings, burning of homes, forced seizure of rice and goats, land grabbing—Soludo, dethrone Igwe Maduagwuna and oust the vampire Chief Security Officer, Polycap Ndukife.”
Through their spokesman, Dr. Nice M. Mekoh, the protesters recounted a chilling tale: “Over 15 homes have been reduced to ashes, 2,000 bags of rice stolen, and countless goats forcibly taken from their rightful owners, all sold to traders in Onitsha without remorse.”
They issued a fervent demand for the dethronement of Igwe Maduagwuna and the call for a fresh election for President General, asserting, “The current PG was foisted upon us, leading to an escalation of violence—killings, rapes, land grabs, and the obliteration of over 2,000 bags of rice from impoverished farmers by the monarch and his cronies.
“In our community, questioning the monarch is a dangerous game,” Mekoh alleged. “Those who dare to speak out face brutal retribution—homes set ablaze, and the women of our village preyed upon in the shadows. Silence is survival here.”
Mekoh acknowledged the governor’s recent efforts to rehabilitate the Amansea-Ugbene/Awba Ofemili road, a lifeline for transporting their agricultural produce to urban markets.
Responding, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo—represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Ernest Ezeajughi—promised to investigate the serious allegations and commended the protesters for their peaceful demonstration. He assured them that the wheels of justice would soon turn.
In stark contrast, the embattled monarch, Igwe Maduagwuna, dismissed the protesters as troublemakers. “I, Igwe, would never stoop to setting homes ablaze,” he retorted, branding their claims as “a pack of lies.”
He derided the protest as “inconsequential null and void.”
