The suspected killers of late Igwe Moses Ugwu, the traditional ruler of Umuode in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, have been arrested. The gang leader was arrested last week by the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police after a 16-month manhunt.The monarch was assassinated on October 9, 2012 in front of his shop at Akpuoga Nike.
The cheery news of the arrest came in police bulletin signed by the spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu. It states: “The operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (S.A.R.S) have arrested one Ejike Mba of Oruku in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State over his involvement in the alleged killing of Umuode monarch late His Royal Highness Moses Ugwu Ode 1 of Umuode.
“Suspect alongside with others at large but now on the wanted list of the operatives had on 9/10/12 at Akpuoga Nike allegedly murdered the monarch in his provision store at about 7.40pm and took to their heels.
“Suspect who is about 26 years of age is a kingpin of the alleged murder of the monarch. He has been at large with his gang after the commission of the alleged murder and following a manhunt for him and his gang by the eagle- eyed operatives of the special Anti-Robbery Squad(S.A.R.S) Enugu,
“It was further gathered that information emerged about where he attended a function and allegedly concealed his presence in Oruku also in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State and the operatives acting swiftly, nabbed him. He is now helping the operatives in their investigations and will be charged to court after police investigations just as manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang are intensified.”
The felled monarch’s community, Umuode and the suspect’s community, Oruku have been locked in a protracted tussle over land.
The two communities in Nkanu East Local Government Areas of Enugu State have been involved in skirmishes that have refused to abate. A visit to the communities reveales sad memories of communal war fought with bitterness. Although there was calm in the communities as at the time of this report, the police and the army were seen at strategic points striving to ensure that miscreants did not cause more havoc in the areas.
The former Minister of Power and world renowned scientist, Professor Barth Nnaji hails from the area specifically, Umuode. In September 1995, Nnaji addressed a special session of the United Nations in New York . His topic bothered on Robotic Engineering and it is on record that he is the first black man to address such a special summit. Nnaji kept the audience spell bound. He was cheered by all and sundry in attendance and accolades poured in from different parts of the world.
But back home in his native home of Oruku/Umuode, some of his kindred in recognition of his achievements, decided to honour him by organising a rousing reception for him. But the reception turned out to be a sad experience for Nnaji. It was disrupted by a section of the community. They saw it as an opportunity to unleash vendetta on opponents associated with the root cause of the problem ravaging the communities. That reception, till this day never took place.
Both communities were under one traditional ruler and as one town before the military administration in 1995 divided them into two autonomous communities.The division followed disagreement on which community produces the traditional ruler after the death of the one who ruled from 1976 to 1983. The Umuode clan insisted that it was their turn based on the rotation clause in the communities constitution. The Umuchiani clan produced the first Igwe and also insisted that it will retain the position. The third clan Onogowo seemed to be neutral on the issue and the hostilities raged between Umuode and Umuchiani. Umuode clan was forced out of the union. Since then, the communities have been at loggerheads over their border demarcation.The Umuode on their own acquired an expansion of land from a neighbouring community of Akpugo at N30million. But the clashes that followed since their resettlement have resulted in loss of lives and property. As a result, the Umuode people fled their new homeland in 1999.
The Umuode people have been in and out of their community. They have been refugees several times. They have appealed to the government to come to their aid to enable them return to their homes permanently. In their words, “we are tired of all these problems, we cannot continue to suffer like this in our father’s land”. The people of Umuode pleaded for government’s assistance to bring the feud to an end.
On their own part, the people of Oruku are pointing accusing fingers at the Umuode clan for being the mastermind of the crisis. They condemned the activities of “unscrupulous elements who had worsened the matter through their evil plans and actions instead of seeking ways of ensuring peace.” In their words, “We know those who are solidly behind this problem and their secret plans. All we want now is peace because violence could hardly pave way for progress. We have equally endured a lot from Umuode” The people of Oruku lamented that the crisis had claimed a lot of lives and drastically reduced their population, urging the government to help bring the conflict to an end so that peace could prevail in the area.
The administration of Governor Sullivan Chime waded into the crisis. The governor visited the warring communities. And with that visit, the people heaved a sigh of relief. They saw the visit as commencement of government peace process. Chime during the visit admonished that both communities should be ready to make sacrifice to enhance the resolution of the crisis. The governor maintained that the government would leave no stone unturned in bringing to an end the communal clashes that have lingered for so many years. He pledged that no amount of blackmail would thwart his effort at ensuring a lasting peace and uniting both communities.
In his words, “Government on its own part would help to resolve the crisis and resettle both communities but one thing is that you people should be ready to make sacrifices.” Governor Chime promised to beef up security there, rehabilitate all the roads linking their neighbouring towns and resettle them. But the promise ended with the visit. The climax of the crisis was the killing of the traditional ruler of Umuode. The Oruku people washed their hands off denying any involvement in his death. But the recent arrest of Ejike Mbah of Oruku may open the pandora box against them.
During the burial of the monarch on December 14, 2012, the troubled community of Umuode came to life. Umuode kingdom wore a complete new look in sharp contrast to the look of a town at war with its neigbhour. The major road linking the community with its neighbours was graded; pathways and walkways were carefully paved to ensure free movement of visitors.
The only church in the community, the Catholic church, could not contain the large crowd that attended the funeral mass. The mass was said at a cleared expanse of land just 100 metres from the church. And that land where the funeral mass took place would remain the resting place of the fallen Igwe and others to come behind him.
He was buried there immediately after the mass.
The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Bishop Callistus Onaga, conducted the funeral mass and assisted by a battery of other priests. The bishop emeritus of Enugu Diocese, Bishop Okonkwo Gbuji was also in attendance.
In his homily, Bishop Onaga, short of cursing the killers of Igwe Ugwu, declared that no matter the amount of money made by the assassins, it will never be useful for them. He warned those that are paid to kill and those that hire people to kill that God’s judgment was near. “Do not think it is far. His judgment is just by the corner,” the bishop sermonised.
Bishop Onaga gave hope that all the wasted blood as the Umuode and Oruku crises lasted, including that of Igwe Ugwu would not be in vain. He recalled that Igwe Ugwu was before his death mediating in another crisis between two communities.
Said the bishop: “His blood will not be in vain. It is going to bring positive things to Umuode people. May his death be a lesson to us. He died for us to get peace.”
While hoping that one day God would resolve the crisis between Umuode and Oruku and the two brother communities eat on the same table, the bishop charged the royal fathers of Nkanuland to rise up and live up to their responsibility and ensure that everlasting peace returns to the warring communities.
