HUNDREDS of aggrieved youths and elders of Awka Community staged a peaceful protest on December 7, over an individual who alleged crowned himself as traditional ruler of Awka.

The protest, which was largely peaceful, started at Ezibi Square, where protesters marched to Government House, Awka.

The resultant commotion caused traffic jam on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

The youths accompanied by their elders displayed placards with such inscriptions: “Dr Gibson Nwosu, Obi of Awka is our traditional ruler”, “the palace of Awka kingdom is not for sale”, “we stand with Gov. Willie Obiano to stop this impending danger’’.

Benjamin Muorah, one of the leaders of the protest, explained that the protest was designed to create awareness that Awka indigenes have disassociated themselves from the purported coronation of a certain man as traditional ruler of the town.

Muorah noted that, it was an abomination for an individual in Awka to crown himself as the traditional ruler, “when their legally crowned traditional ruler, Obi Gibson Nwosu is still alive’’.

The youth leader urged the state government and security agencies to rise to the occasion by stopping the said man from parading himself as the traditional ruler.

He stressed that the action was abominable and also resulted in disruption of the peace in the area.

Muorah said if urgent steps were not taken to arrest the ugly development, it could throw the community into a state of anarchy.

– Dec 8, 2017 @ 17:07 GMT |