A peaceful protest has rocked Obeagu Ugwuaji community in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu state, with a call on the State House of Assembly Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate unholy activities of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, and it’s Commissioner Deacon Okey Ogbodo, among others before it gets to a crisis point.
They also appealed to the state Governor Dr. Peter Mbah, not to allow people of questionable character to destroy his administration through authoritarian government representatives.
The President-General of Obeagu Ugwuaji Development Union, Mr. Obi Chukwunomso Freedom, among others stated this during a peaceful protest along major roads in the area to draw the attention of the Governor and House of Assembly over attempt by Deacon Okey Ogbodo, to plunge the community into crisis by constituting caretaker executive of the community even when the tenure of the executive is still subsisting.
The president general explained that Justice C. A. Ogbuabo, of the Enugu State High Court, had on 2nd June, 2025, issued an injunction prohibiting the Commissioner of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs and it’s Commissioner Deacon Okey Ogbodo, among others from constituting a care taker committee of the Obeagu Ugwuaji Development Union, pending the determination of the substantive application for Judicial Review which was ignored by the commissioner.
The order reads that “2nd respondent ie Deacon Okey Ogbodo, is hereby prohibited from constituting a caretaker committee of the Obeagu Ugwuaji Development Union pending the determination of the substantive application for Judicial Review.
They said the community had also taken steps to commit the commissioner to prison over contempt related matters as they have directed their lawyer to commit him to prison by moving ahead with contempt proceedings in Suit NO: E/508M/2025 with the title NOTICE OF CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE TO ORDER OF COURT..
The protesters lamented that despite the order of court, the commissioner flagrantly moved ahead to constitute the purported caretaker to pilot the community necessitating the contempt proceedings.
The protesters chanted various songs, just as they alleged that the commissioner upon receipt of the order recalled their letter of appointment, and backdated it.
They wondered his interest in imposing a Chairman in a community if not for selfish gain.
The protesters numbering over three hundred said many communities in Enugu are in crisis as the ministry continue issuing various certificates ranging from certificate of observation, monitoring and sometimes certificate of acceptance among others
The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Obeagu Ugwuaji executive is not for sale,” “Obey court order, don’t cause wahalla in Obeagu,” among others.
Deacon Ogbodo when contacted said the caretaker committee was already operational before the purported order
The lawyer to the community Barrister Emeka Abah, when contacted described the action of the ministry as an enigma.
Barrister Abah said his chambers would explore all legal and judicial options to address the situation, noting that nobody is above the law.
The legal luminary pointed out that disobedience to an order of court of competent jurisdiction is a grievous offence in law.
Recall that the president general of Obeagu Ugwuaji Development Union, Mr. Obi Chukwunomso Freedom, among others had filled an application for a judicial review in a suit NO: E/508/2025, and was granted.
