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| Linus Obayi. |
A Lagos-based journalist, Mr. Ikem Okuhu, has accused the traditional ruler of Nguru Nsukka autonomous community, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, of forgery and deceit and has given the State government a 21-days’ notice to withdraw his staff of office or face litigation.
In
a letter, dated, 11th May, 2021 and written by his lawyers, Eli Ugwu
& Associates, the journalist claimed that the constitution that the Enugu
State Government relied on to grant autonomous status to Nguru community was
forged by the Igwe, in connivance with a non-governmental organisation, Nguru
Nsukka Progressives Supreme General Assembly.
In
the pre-action notice, signed by Barr Eli Ugwu and submitted to the office of
the Attorney General of the State, it was claimed that Nguru Nsukka had, prior
to being granted autonomous community status, never had a constitution,
insisting that the Igwe stool currently occupied by Linus Obayi was illegal,
having been procured with a forged community constitution.
The
letter, obtained by our correspondent, reads in part: “Our client has decided
to challenge the coronation and issuance of certificate of recognition to HRH
Igwe Linus Obayi of Nguru Nsukka on the ground that his emergence as Igwe was
obtained fraudulently and against due process of the Law and as such, cannot represent
the will of the people.
“It
is a known principle that no autonomous community can exist without a
subsisting constitution. But Linus Obayi, in collaboration with a few vested
interests, forged a constitution that was erroneously relied upon to grant
autonomous status to Nguru community.
“Sometime
in 2017, Nguru people, began to hear rumours of a planned creation of
Autonomous Communities out of the then Nkpunano Autonomous Community. While
everyone was waiting for what was taken to be the next lines of action,
information began to filter that a one Linus Obayi, son to the former Igwe of
Nsukka, the late Igwe Patrick Obayi, had, started campaigning for the Igwe
stool and had actually instigated the formation of a Non-Governmental
Ogrganisation (NGO) for that purpose.
“This
NGO, known by the name, Nguru Nsukka Progressives Supreme General Assembly, was
eventually registered in May 2018, and according to documents at the Corporate
Affairs Commission (CAC), for the purpose of, among other things, it was
registered for the following objectives: to promote and protect the interest of
members, to assist in developmental issues in Nguru community and to contribute
and support sustainable development of Nguru community.
“Although
our client and some other members of Nguru community published a Caveat Emptor
in Vanguard Newspaper of September 24, 2018, clearly stating the legal status
of the group and cautioning the public, including the Enugu State Government,
not to deal with the said NGO for, and on behalf of Nguru community, Linus
Obayi, in connivance with this NGO, went ahead to deceive the State Government
to believe Nguru Progressives Supreme General Assembly was the same as Nguru
Town Union. He also connived with this NGO to forge a constitution they purported
to be the Constitution of Nguru Nsukka Community and with that, they deceived
the State Government into granting an autonomous community to Nguru.
Insisting
that Nguru people had only recently made a constitution for themselves, the
letter claimed that there had never been a time in the community that the issue
of enacting a constitution was discussed by the people and accused the Igwe of
using the purportedly forged constitution “to hoodwink the State Government
into granting an autonomous community which, today, he appears to be the
biggest beneficiary.”
The
letter also accused the Igwe of meddling in the town union formation in the
community, in a sustained effort to cover the crime of forgery he had committed
that allegedly paved the way for his emergence as the traditional ruler of the
community.
“Our
client is a law-abiding citizen and has decided to follow the due process of
the Law in seeking redress. The Enugu State Government is, by this letter,
being put on notice that a legal action will be instituted against it, its
agencies and privies and all other parties involved in this illegality, if
within 21 working days, it has not withdrawn the staff of office and
certificate of recognition given to Linus Obayi as the Igwe of Nguru Nsukka
Autonomous Community,” the petitioner concluded.
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