Special Correspondent, OKEY MADUFORO, looks at efforts by Nteje traditional ruler and his kinsmen to fight off the tag of kidnapping and criminality on the town.
Obviously unamused at the tag of criminality, especially kidnapping, which his community had lived with for some time, the Traditional Ruler of Nteje Community in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Roland Odegbo, has raised his voice against the allegation that is telling much on his people.
Odegbo and his kinsmen, who spoke forcefully against the tag, blamed their rivals from neighbouring community and collaborators within for labelling that town as kidnappers’ den. His anger against the trend rose last week, when the youths of Ifite-Nteje stormed his palace chanting war songs and demanding his intervention over an alleged attempt to destroy buildings where a kidnap victim was allegedly kept.
Nnaemeka Agbambu, who led the protesting group, lamented the rate at which Nteje youths are framed and blackmailed over crimes they do not commit.
“We are the youths of this town and we are particularly not happy at the manner our members are being accused of being involved in kidnapping,” he cried.
Agbambu accused unnamed Nteje elite of orchestrating the discord in the community because the youths prevented them from conniving with their neighbours of Nkwellezunaka, Umunya and Nsugbe to sell their communal land.
According to him, the youths had visited the home of one of the titled men to register their complaints but he refused to open his gate, adding that the man rather went and informed the police that his life was in danger.
“That was why we came to our traditional ruler to complain to him about what is going on,” Agbambu explained.
The monarch, in his response, however appealed to the youths not to take laws into their hand, urging them to ensure that the protest did not escalate to a level where hoodlums and miscreants would capitalise on it to cause mayhem across the land.
It was on the strength of this development that a meeting between Ifite Nteje kindred and the monarch was scheduled.
At the meeting, Igwe Odegbo decried the ordeal of Nteje people in the hands of those he described as retrogressive elements in the community.
His words: “We are here because of the progress of Nteje community. We have been having land problems in Nteje. I came into this matter because our communal lands in Ifite Nteje are being sold to other towns illegally. Some people have been arrested and locked up in the police station because they are against the illegal sale of our land.
“There was this case of kidnapping in Onitsha and the victim was found in a house in Nteje. Some people now went to town with the rumour that Nteje youths are kidnappers and that I, Igwe Roland Odegbo, am behind it; that I am even their sponsor.”
He emphasised that the youths of Nteje are not kidnappers, but law-abiding Nigerians who have worked hard to protect their communal land.
Odegbo, who is also the Chairman of Anambra North Traditional Rulers Council, stressed that he would stop at nothing to stem the tide of blackmail against Nteje town.
His remarks were corroborated by the Kindred Chairman, Anthony Ebie, who noted that the indigenes are merely farmers.
“Ifite Nteje people are farmers and that is what they are known for; we are not kidnappers or armed robbers. We are peace-loving people. Some people are doing this to kill our youths and stain our image. People should stop selling the land of Ifite Nteje,” he warned.
One of the elders of the community, Ogbo Madubueze, alleged that there was conspiracy by some people to blackmail the traditional ruler and the town.
“It is unfortunate that people have learnt a new strategy of gossip and false allegation. Some people go about blackmailing our town. People should know that we are very strong people. We can always fight back like the real Nteje people we are. But we have government in place and we cannot take such actions. However, we will not watch our land taken away from us and those rascals will still come back to call us kidnappers. It cannot happen in our land,” he fumed.
Nteje youths, who had been on the receiving end of the entire logjam, also spoke out through Agbambu.
“The day we formed the youth wing of Nteje, it was registered with Nteje community. It was for the progress of Nteje. They have instead gone ahead to accuse us of having a shrine where we keep kidnap victims. I wish to recall that we as youths of Nteje land had an agreement which is binding on us that we shall not get involved in kidnapping and armed robbery.
“This convent is still standing, and anyone who goes against it would pay the price for insubordination. All these are aimed at checkmating crime in Nteje. But what some people in this town choose to do is brand us kidnappers and armed robbers.
“These people are those who have been conniving with our enemies to sell our land to the outsiders without recourse to us, the owners.
“Today, they are also accusing our traditional ruler of sponsoring kidnappers. We wish to urge our dear Governor Willie Obiano to discountenance the antics of these people because we are law-abiding citizens of Anambra State,” they said.
Nteje women were not left out in the battle to restore the dignity of the land. Mrs. Oyibe Anthony Igboanugo, their leader, articulated their views. “We, the women of Nteje town, do not know anything about kidnapping. The truth shall ultimately prevail very soon, despite all those allegations levelled against us by our enemies. Our children are not kidnappers and they are not armed robbers.
“Those people who have been stealing our land should be aware of its grave consequences in the long run. We look forward to the day we shall return to our farmland and continue to cultivate it.”
TheNiche learnt that already the Anambra State Government has been briefed by the Nteje community on its position. By the close of last week, government’s position was being awaited.
