By Kelechi Ugo.

The people of Umuowa Autonomous community in Orlu Local Government  Area of Imo State have staged a protest against His Royal Highness Eze Magnus Duruigbo's  high-handedness, embezzlement of public fund, sale  of community shops  among others,  calling for the suspension of their traditional ruler.

Numbering over 200, the protesters stormed Obi Eze Imo,  carrying placards with different inscriptions,"Eze Magnus Duruigbo Release 42 shops of Umuowa to Umuowa", "Eze Magnus Duruigbo Release the 42 shops you sold at the Building Material Market Umuowa Orlu and the #2million given to Umuowa by Imo State Government", "Eze Magnus Duruigbo Umuowa people are tired of your selfishness" ," Eze Magnus Duruigbo we are tired of your tyranny", Imo state government suspend Eze Magnus Duruigbo now and investigate him" among others.

Addressing the protesters, the Chairman of Imo State Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty, Eze Emmanuel C Okeke assured that his office would look into the matter in a view to addressing it.
Eze Okeke enjoined them not to take laws into their hands that the affected traditional ruler would be summoned.

In his address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Land Recovery,Hon. Paschal Nwakanma popularly called Dumdum urged them to remain peaceful promising that he would ensure all communally owned property in the traditional ruler's possession would be returned to the Community.

Nwakamma said the Governor frowns upon any person no matter how highly placed that converts public property to personal use adding that if discovered to be truth, disciplinary actions would be meted on such person.
 
Among the leaders that spoke, the Eze-elect of Isiowa Autonomous Community Chief Pharmacist Ben Nnamdi Ononaiwu said there had been a lot of issues against the embattled monarch such as refusal to work with the President General who was unanimously elected by the Community, singlehandedly  taking  detrimental decisions on things the Community benefited from Imo State Government and high handedness in ruling the people.
In his words,' we have come to petition the Imo State Traditional Council Chairman over our plights of being subdued and being ruled in a way- high-handedness by our traditional ruler. 

"We want him to recognize the elected president General of Umuowa Progressive Union and return all belonging to the community to he coveted so that peace will return to the community. And he should be suspended pending when he is fully investigated",he stated.