*Allegations untrue, say accused persons By; KELVIN OKPARA, Enugu Serious tension is brewing in the Iwollo Omashi Kingdom,
*Allegations untrue, say accused persons
By; KELVIN OKPARA, Enugu
Serious tension is brewing in the Iwollo Omashi Kingdom, made up of four autonomous communities in Ezeagu Council Area of Enugu State over mining royalties, as some youth in the locality are accusing the traditional rulers and president- generals of corruption, sabotage, and abysmal leadership failure.
The autonomous communities include, Iwollo Omashi, Aguobu Iwollo, Owolloti Iwollo, and Amagu Iwollo.
Operating under the platform of Iwollo Youths General Assembly, the youth said the aforementioned leaders have done more harm than good to the communities.
Trouble started when a mining company, Rating Industry Global Ltd, discovered mineral resources in Iwollo and entered into an agreement with the host communities in 2022 for infrastructural and community development.
The infrastructure includes the provision of water borehole with 2000 gallons storage capacity, the establishment of a skills acquisition centre, road development (grading and lateriting).
Others are, construction of a basic health centre facility, and the award of scholarships to at least five of her indigent/ brilliant students amongst other things.
However, the youth accused the company of reneging on its promises despite several letters from the communities, disclosing that one of such letters was written on 24th February, 2025.
The youth accused the traditional rulers and presidents general of receiving the sum of N3 million bribes from the company in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
They also claimed that Rayting Industry Global Ltd had sublet the mining site to another company, AFRIMETALS Trading Ltd.
In a letter to Governor Peter Mbah, dated May 16, 2025, the Iwollo Youth General Assembly passed a vote of no confidence on two traditional rulers and their President generals namely, HRH Igwe Raph Okolo and HRH Igwe Augustine Odezulu, PG Emma Ilochi, PG Paschal Ijegalu.
The letter was signed by over a hundred persons where they had urged the governor to intervene.
It would be recalled that the alleged corruption and sabotage by the traditional rulers and Presidents General which has sparked tension and mistrust among the youths a development that prompted a protest on the 28th of April where elderly women aged 50 and above from Iwollo took to the streets of the villages to show solidarity to the youths.
The youths in the letter to the governor, are calling for a fresh leadership selected through a competitive process to replace the current traditional rulers and President Generals. They believe that continuing to pay the salaries and allowances of the current leaders would be a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Reacting to the accusations, the traditional ruler of Iwollo Omasi community, Igwe Raph Okolo, denied the allegations of corruption levelled against him “by a group calling itself Iwollo Youths General Assembly” he stated.
Speaking on behalf of the community leaders at a press conference in Enugu on Thursday, Igwe Okolo described the group as dissidents who formed the Iwollo Youths General Assembly to spread malicious propaganda and set the town on fire.
Igwe Okolo stated that the only known youth group in the town, as recognized by all the town unions, the Local Government Area, and the state government, is the Iwollo Youths Council.
He emphasized that the community leaders cannot circumvent developmental projects coming to their community for any reason.
On the issue of CDA agreement Implementation, Igwe Okolo explained that the company was sealed in 2023 and unsealed recently by the state government, allowing the company to commence operations in October last year.
He noted that the company has started grading community roads and sinking boreholes in three communities.
“We had a CDA agreement with the company in 2022, which never came to light until recently when the company started their operations in the community.
“It was initially sealed in 2023 but unsealed just recently by the state government and they commenced operations in October last year.
“As we’re talking to you now, the company is about completing three of the boreholes in three communities. They first of all started by grading of the community roads to make it motorable and all that.
“We, as the community leaders, can never circumvent developmental projects coming to our community for whatever reason.
“So, the allegations and misinformation was intended to bring the leadership of the community to disrepute before the right thinking members if the public,” the monarch said.
Igwe Ralph Okolo said the proponents of Iwollo Youths General Assembly was formed by a group of dissidents to set the town on fire with malicious propaganda.
When contacted, the Human Resources Manager of Afrimetals, Ahmed Lawal, also denied giving community leaders any money for projects.
He stated that the company has commenced work on sinking boreholes and other projects promised in the Community Development Agreement (CDA).
COMMENTS