The crisis brewing in Orlu community over the ownership of the former TESAC premises has taken a more disturbing turn, following the alleged closure of a meeting venue convened by the President General of Orlu Town Union.
Eyewitnesses reported that some members of the local vigilante group, allegedly acting on the instruction of the traditional ruler of Orlu, HRH Eze Dr. Patrick Acholom, locked up the Orlu Civic Centre (Upakakpu), the venue scheduled for the emergency general meeting called by the President General, Mr. Marcel Okereke.
According to eyewitness accounts, the vigilante operatives claimed they were acting on the directive of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO). However, a palace source who spoke anonymously alleged that the order to lock up the venue actually emanated from the traditional ruler, who was displeased with the President General’s alignment with the popular opinion of Orlu people that the expansive TESAC premises should not be ceded to the church.
Recall that the immediate past President General of Orlu community, Comrade Augustine Nwadike, had earlier resigned from office following his refusal to support what he described as the unlawful acquisition of the disputed land by the church. In his resignation letter, Augustine stated that he had been under severe pressure for some time and chose to step down to avoid intimidation and blackmail by detractors.
Efforts to reach Eze Acholom for comments on the matter proved abortive.
When contacted, the current President General, Mr. Marcel Okereke, expressed deep disappointment over the alleged involvement of security operatives in closing the venue without prior consultation with the Town Union Executive. Attempts to reach the DPO for comments were also unsuccessful, as calls to his phone were not returned.
Some indigenes of the community who reacted to the development expressed disappointment at what they described as the level of desperation displayed by individuals allegedly bent on grabbing communal land. They vowed that no amount of intimidation, blackmail, or attack would make them relinquish their ancestral inheritance to “interlopers and schemers who intend to reap where they did not sow.”
Reacting strongly to the closure, the Orlu Youth Development Union (OYDU), in a statement signed by its executive members, described the action as “a joke taken too far.”
The statement was signed by:
Cmr. Odogwu Chijioke – Youth President
Cmr. Odemenam Maduka – Vice President
Cmr. Okorie Chigoziri – Secretary
Cmr. Agunenye Ekene – Assistant Secretary
Cmr. Onyeachusim Okechukwu – Financial Secretary
Cmr. Okereke Uchenna – Treasurer
Cmr. Onwuanumkpe Chukwuma – PRO
Cmr. Echefu Udochukwu – Director of Socials
Cmr. Agbahiwe Emeka – Provost
The union stated in part:
“The Orlu Youth Development Union (OYDU) has been reliably informed that the Civic Center (Upakakpu) was deliberately locked against the emergency general meeting scheduled to be held by the Orlu people. This unlawful action is a clear attempt to obstruct a legitimate and peaceful gathering of the people. We consider this action a joke taken too far.”
The statement further alleged that investigations revealed the closure was orchestrated by a “very negligible minority acting purely out of personal interest,” despite the overwhelming rejection by Orlu people of any plan to cede the TESAC premises to the church. According to the union, arrangements were even made with security operatives to enforce the closure in a desperate bid to undermine the collective will of the people.
The youth body warned all individuals involved to desist from what it described as “nefarious actions” and issued a stern ultimatum demanding the immediate reopening of the Civic Centre.
“The Orlu Youth Development Union hereby issues a strong and final ultimatum to all persons involved in the locking of the Civic Center to ensure that it is opened immediately for the scheduled meeting. Failure to comply will leave such persons solely responsible for any tension, breakdown of order, or consequences arising from this deliberate provocation.
“A handful of self-serving individuals cannot and will never supersede the collective will, authority, and decision of the Orlu people. The Civic Center must be opened without further delay.”
