By SUCCESS OBUM
I have been seeing posts recently about Prince of Mburubu, and I am aware of the crisis for some time now, but I have no idea it has gotten to this stage until a few days ago.
I was not in a hurry to comment a few days ago because I needed to make inquiries from neutral sources. I have been reaching out to people to know the root cause of the fight. I have also seen proof to justify my stand.
The Igweship tussle in Mburubu should not have gotten to this point if people respect and value their land. When you claim to have the people at heart, you should preach peace and lead by example.
I am sorry to say, I have never heard about Mburubu that much until Prince of Mburubu the current Commissioner for Innovation Science and Technology Enugu State commissioned the road he tarred for his community, and we all celebrated it. And I have been to Mburubu once since then. When I saw the post made by my brother Odogwu, I was surprised. I don’t know Prince as a man of crisis, either have I seen him intimidating people. But I know he is a man that cannot be intimidated right from the day I heard him talk on the radio, very bold and clear.
When I saw a post where they accused him of fuelling the crisis in Mburubu, I just laughed, in my mind, I said he can’t do that. However, people change all the time, and I went around asking Mburubu people who are my friends, and also chatted with strangers from Mburubu, to make sure I have a fair opinion.
My first question was, how can a man who brought significant development in his community all of sudden want to create chaos? It wasn’t clear at all. I asked them,Is Prince Lawrence Eze contesting for Igweship? They said no. I asked again, is there any law about Igweship in Mburubu? They said yes.
I got to know there has been a constitution which has been in place since 1976, and a 2003 which clearly said that Igweship should be rotational among the seven communities/villages in Mburubu.
I asked if the contestants are within the rightful village since it’s turn by turn? They said Jerry is not within the rightful village, which means it’s not their turn yet. When I asked who is the rightful village to produce Igwe? I was rightly told by different neutral people, that Prince Ezeh’s village has produced Igwe, and it should be the turn of Uhuegbe people. My question was, why is Jerry then contesting?
This is what almost happened in Enugu State, even when it was not constitutionally documented, it was verbally agreed that Enugu governorship will be zoned within the three senatorial districts we have. After Gburugburu’s tenure, we all fought for Peter Mbah to be elected, when we got to Nkanu, we checked those LGA who have benefited more, including those in power, we saw that Nkanu east has been completely neglected. Even when Uche was contesting for Governor, we channeled our attention to Peter Mbah because everyone was seeking fairness and equality.
The day Peter Mbah will finish his tenure, I will be here calling for someone from Enugu West extraction to be elected, someone not from Udi, because they produced one already. That is fair, and I will stand beside the rightful candidate when we get to that point.
Here comes a community with a clearly written constitution, and someone wants to stop it. And why are we pretending as if he is doing the right thing? Is it because of what we are gaining personally from Jerry Onuokaibe, or because of his money?
We’re in a society where people easily sell their birthright for a dollar, most especially during this period where hunger is the order of the day.
I have asked countless times, mention one thing Jerry Onuokaibe has ever done for the people of Mburubu with all his money? No one is saying anything.
Since you did not follow the constitution and the court stopped your activities, why not seek justice within the court too? You have not appealed the court judgement yet and went ahead to create chaos. It was the new yam festival he called under the disguise of Igwe elect that created war everywhere. Court stopped you, you insisted, someone who is trying to be an Igwe of a community? If you are not law abiding, you shouldn’t even be allowed to contest in the first place .
Prince Lawrence is doing exactly what I would have done. I will never sit and watch someone take what rightfully belongs to any village, and you expect him just to watch it happen? When he reacts, you tag it out of power, power for what exactly? Do you expect him to fold his hands and watch it happen? At least he went to court to address things legally. What stops Jerry from appealing?
And for us young people, we should learn not to blackmail people. How can you go around demanding money from people before saying the truth? You went and told people that Prince is trying to install his boy as the Igwe, ok! If Jerry wants to fight Prince, let him go to the village which should be producing the next Igwe, Uhuegbe, and support someone else over who Prince Lawrence is supporting. But it has to be from the village with the right to produce the next Igwe, rather he went ahead and started contesting, thereby creating unrest. It was actually his ambition to contest that created all this mess. It is not their turn, and that is PERIOD! We shouldn’t put BUT here at all.
Saying that Prince turned the community PG as his driver is absolute trash. Did he force him to be his driver? What if it was the PG that asked him for that? Sometimes we want to view things in a negative way, or explain it negatively. So becoming a PG should stop him from doing any other side struggle to feed his family? Was he doing that under duress? If you ask Prince to fire him, are you going to give him funds to feed his family? Has he complained to you about it?
It is time the governor should call Mr Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe to order. He can’t disobey a constitution that has been in place since 1976 and 2003.
I will still make comments about the issue again, with videos evidence of those locked up, beaten and shot.
I am trying so much not to share evidence of those youths who are fueling the crisis, going to the back to seek millions from the Prince. They went and told lies to the media, gave them fake narratives, now seeking millions to settle those guys to pull down their publications, that is blackmailing people. I will try not to share it because they will never recover from the damage it will do to them, and their reputation.
So the young man shouldn’t fight for what Mburubu deserved because he’s a commissioner? When he reacts, you will say he is using government power. I have not seen abuse of power here truly , I only see a man fighting for what rightfully belongs to Uhuegbe village. And because he’s a commissioner shouldn’t make us paint him bad where he has done nothing wrong. If it reaches your turn, no fight for your family.
If we drag this further, then I will have no choice than to put it here.
We have terrible and irredeemable youths in our state.
If you want to talk about the Ohu and Amadi side of it, I know that story very well. And Prince is doing justice to that too.
Peter Ndubuisi Mbah this is up to you to settle based on the standing constitution which serves as a bidding contract for the community.
* Success Obum is a renowned public analyst, recognized for his expertise in interpreting complex data and providing insightful analyses that inform decision-making processes across various sectors.
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