From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
An Enugu community leader, Nze Eric Oluedo, who at different times had equally held positions as the state commissioner for rural development, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, and commissioner for Agriculture has absolved himself from ongoing crisis raging in his community, Umualum, Enugu Agu- Achi, in Oji River local government area, stating the allegations are mere fabrications to malign him by some disgruntled elements, using his blood brother, Hon Ephraim Oluedo..
Dr Oluedo who spoke to newsmen in Enugu said the disgruntled elements had planned to eliminate him over superstitious belief and false prophecy to them from one Mrs Ginika Eseonu, who made them believe that a personality in the community, like him bewitched the progress of the Youths of Umualum community.
Dr Oluedo dropped these hints while responding to the allegations that he was the person who invited the police to arrest some youths of the community, based on their contrary views to issues emanating in the leadership of the community.
It could be recalled that some youths from the Umualum community on Sunday, January 16, had demonstrated what they alleged to be the leader of tyranny implored on the villagers by Nze Eric Oluedo and pleaded with Governor Ugwuanyi to come to their rescue.
Some of the placards they displayed read, “All We Need is Democratic Umunna”; “We Say No to the Tyranny of Dr Eric Oluedo” and “Please Gov. Ugwuanyi Rescue Us” among others.
They also alleged that Dr Oluedo was behind the disruption of the prayer crusade which they had arranged as a spiritual measure of liberating the community from evil bondage.
But in a swift reaction, Dr Oluedo who is recognised in their traditional parlance as Nze Eric Oluedo, sad the power to maintain law and order in the community behooves around the chairman of the community, stating when the defiant group in the community piloted by his younger brother broke into the Civic Center constructed by Enugu state government unlawfully, against the standing order of notifying and collecting the keys, the chairman was left with no other option than to invite the police.
He pointed out that there is also a standing rule in the community which stipulates that before any preacher not domiciling within the community should come for a crusade, the President General and town union executives must be notified in writing for approval. He lamented that the defiant group in Umualum community led by Hon Ephraim Oluedo has developed the penchant of bringing their so-called prophetess Ginika Eseonu, for the so-called crusade, without the consultation of the Anglican and Catholic clerics who at an instance staged a walkout from the crusade ground over distortion of facts and programmes of the crusade by Ephraim Oluedo and his cohorts.
Nze Oluedo said that Ephraim Oluedo under manipulations of the so-called Prophetess Ginika Eseonu, whom he said was sacked from St Anthony’s Catholic church Oji River, on two occasions of the not permitted crusade in Umualum community had devilishly plotted to eliminate him with their so-called “Operation uproot the cult” Nze Oluedo said in that particular operation, she had told the gathering on “June 2020 Crusade” that the personality (himself) behind the progress of others in the community will die within three months. When they did not succeed, she came up with the second deceit notion of” Operation change over in December 2020.
Nze Oluedo said amidst the devilish and provocative steps from the defiant groups championed by Ephraim Oluedo, he maintained his calm. He stated the controversy surrounding the turndown of the December 2021 crusade even though he is not involved was purely based on the fact that the defiant group failed to notify and obtain permission from the President General and Igwe in council before inviting an external spiritual leader to the community, as the rule implies.
He revealed some children of the community are currently under his scholarship up to the secondary school level. He said he equally pays monthly stipends to some less privileged and runs a health care assistance programme for the poor in his community.
