Tension is brewing in Enugwu village, one of the constituent communities in Nanka, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, as angry youths took to the streets in a peaceful protest, accusing the leadership of the Ositadinma Development Union (ODU) of negligence, bias, and abuse of power in the handling of community affairs.
The demonstrators, who converged in Awka, the state capital, on Monday, decried what they described as deliberate marginalization of their village in developmental matters by the ODU under its current chairman, Mr. Okey Ezeudu. Addressing journalists during the protest, the youth leader, Chimemile Okafor, read out a petition which catalogued a series of grievances against the community leadership. He claimed that their village, Enugwu, has been systematically sidelined in infrastructural and communal initiatives, leading to developmental stagnation in the area.
According to Okafor, the current leadership of the Ositadinma Development Union has persistently taken unilateral decisions affecting the entire Nanka community without broader consultation or consent from the general body. He alleged that this top-down approach has fostered division, disunity, and lack of progress in the community, particularly in Enugwu village.
“The ODU chairman has continued to operate beyond acceptable limits, ignoring repeated calls for inclusivity and transparency. We, the youths, can no longer remain silent while our community is being dragged backward. It’s time we speak out against the misuse of authority and the neglect of grassroots development,” Okafor stated.
The protest letter further revealed that the election of the current leadership in August 2024 was premised on a promise to amend the controversial 2015 community constitution, which the youths claim has been a tool for manipulation and fraud by those in charge of community affairs. They lamented that months after assuming office, no tangible steps have been taken towards the promised constitutional reforms.
The aggrieved youths also accused the leadership of bringing disrepute to the community by obstructing a state government rehabilitation project at the Enugwu village health centre—an action they said prompted an unprecedented visit by the Orumba North Local Government Chairman earlier this year. The disruption, they noted, not only stalled a much-needed development initiative but also publicly embarrassed the village.
In another allegation, the protesters faulted the ODU leadership for refusing an official invitation from the local government chairman to attend a meeting at the council headquarters in Ajali. They described this action as a show of contempt for constituted authority. Furthermore, the group condemned the importation of armed security operatives from the neighbouring Aguata Local Government Area, allegedly used to arrest their youth leader, Mr. Ekene Osisioma, who was later detained at Isuofia community. This, they argued, was a clear breach of local jurisdiction and an escalation of internal issues that could have been resolved amicably.
They maintained that despite historical divisions in Enugwu village, the community has in recent times made efforts to unify and foster peace. The youths recalled that Mr. Ezeudu himself was elected with their support, as a gesture of goodwill to encourage unity and progress. However, they now believe the chairman’s actions are threatening that fragile unity.
In a passionate appeal, the youths called on the Orumba North Local Government Council to intervene decisively. They proposed the immediate dissolution of the current community executive and the appointment of a caretaker committee to forestall a potential breakdown of law and order, which they warned could escalate into violence if not urgently addressed.
“All we seek is a fair, inclusive, and transparent administration that listens to the people and works for the collective good of Nanka, especially Enugwu village. Our patience has been stretched thin, and we’re appealing to the relevant authorities to act now before things get out of hand,” the statement concluded.
Efforts by journalists to obtain a reaction from the leadership of the Ositadinma Development Union, particularly the chairman, Mr. Okey Ezeudu, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to his known phone numbers went unanswered as of the time of filing this report.
