Obehie, Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State
Tensions have simmered in the Umuaka Asa Autonomous Community since the controversial installation of Eze Sunday Nwokoro Nwogu in May 2023, just days before the end of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s tenure. The 35-year-old traditional ruler, appointed without the community’s input or adherence to due process, is said to enjoy unfettered access to Governor Alex Chioma Otti an access he brandishes to intimidate opponents and bypass High Court orders.
Illicit Installation and Court Injunctions
According to community elders, Eze Nwogu’s Staff of Office was rushed through amid legal controversy. Suit No. HUK/52/2020, filed by Prophet Chinasa Nwanne in the Abia State High Court (Ukwa Judicial Division), had already obtained an injunction restraining any presentation of a Staff of Office pending determination of rightful succession. Despite this, the installation went ahead under the outgoing Ikpeazu administration, leaving locals stunned. “It felt like a counterfeit currency foisted on us,” said one elder, lamenting that the court’s authority was ignored.
Four subsequent suits-HUK/29/2023, HUK/3/2023, HUK/16/2024, and CC/BH/13/2025-specifically bar Eze Nwogu from selling or profiting from community palm produce. Yet, villagers allege he has brazenly ignored these orders, selling palm three times: ₦5 million in 2023, ₦8 million in 2024, and ₦13 million so far in 2025-funds that remain unaccounted for and unspent on communal projects.
Intimidation and Allegations of Violence
Former community watchdogs say Eze Nwogu surrounds himself with vigilantes armed with knives and firearms. Two of his own brothers, who dared to speak out against him, were allegedly beaten and detained in a makeshift cell at the market square. Women who protested his unilateral sale of communal palm were reportedly teargassed and arrested with the help of State Zone 9 operatives and local SARS officers.
One harrowing incident on March 14, 2025, involved the deployment of a soldier from 144 Battalion, Obehie Asa. Village spokesman Chidiadi Kingston Ulelu described being arrested, teargassed, and beaten until his joints were dislocated. “He used state security to crush dissent,” Ulelu recounted, visibly shaken.
hired by the Eze to enforce harvest of community palm
Community Decay Amid Unfulfilled Promises
While security forces enforce Eze Nwogu’s will, vital community infrastructure crumbles. The town hall remains roofless, school buildings lie in disrepair, and the proceeds from palm sales have not funded any development. In contrast, neighbouring road projects-such as the Obehie-Umudiobia-Owaza highway-stand as a testament to Governor Otti’s broader commitment to Abia State’s growth.
White Paper Delays and Demand for Accountability
In response to petitions from Umuaka Asa and other aggrieved communities, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Uzor Nwachukwu, acknowledged receipt of their complaints and promised a Government White Paper. However, weeks have passed without publication. “The word ‘soon’ has often been an excuse for inaction,” said a senior community leader. Locals now implore Governor Otti to break the cycle of delay and release a definitive White Paper addressing the legality of Eze Nwogu’s appointment and the misappropriation of communal assets.
Call for Restoration of Community Will
Umuaka Asa residents praise Governor Otti’s infrastructural achievements but plead for protection from “a ruler who wields the Governor’s hotline as a weapon.” They demand reinstatement of due process in chieftaincy matters and stringent enforcement of court orders. Until then, the serenity of governance that comes with a cup of coffee in the Governor’s office remains but a bitter tease to those who live under the Eze’s shadow.
