..urges panel to scrutinize his evidence
By Our Reporter
The Traditional ruler of Amankanu Community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, HRH, Igwe Bennett Ikenna has publicly denied all the allegations made against him by some aggrieved community members.
Igwe made this denials during a public hearing organized by a 6 man committee panel of enquiry on Thursday at Amankanu square while responding to the 25 petitions written against him by some individuals and group of people in the community.
Recall that Igwe Ikenna was suspended by the Honourable commissioner for Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Chieftancy Affairs, Deacon Okey Ogbodo on the 17th of March 2025 and panel of enquiry was set up to address the issue.
These allegations, documented in 25 petitions, include highhandedness, intimidation, illegal sale of community and individual lands, cutting down valuable trees, adulteration, mismanagement of community funds and others.
Igwe Ikenna responded to the accusations leveled against him in accordance with local customs, he removed his shoes and held his ofo staff which is the symbols of truth and honesty.
He claimed that the petitioners are motivated by hatred and political rivalry, particularly since many of them had contested against him in elections and lost. He explained that the conflicts date back to the time of Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration, suggesting that political issues have fueled ongoing tensions.
“Most of the people that brought petition here have been writing petitions during the tenure of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. To answer my question, this has been escalating since the time of Gov. Ugwuanyi. They are doing it out of hatred and jealousy.
“This village we are now and other village, Amanzugba used town crier to announced that anybody who votes for me will pay N20,000 as well be excommunicated and since then, the two communities are still on my neck. And I want to tell you that most of the people that wrote petition did so because they contested against me and failed.
“All I am appealing is for you to scrutinize my evidence. I know that the truth must be revealed. There is nothing to say here that’s not written in my evidence. One thing is that the enemies of the community do not clearly want me and they never voted for me. There is nothing to do for somebody who hate you, for him to love you.
“I will take the last petitioner, I cannot say that I and cabinet members did not seal the health center, the nurse in that hospital, Nkechi went and brought one boy and introduced him as her husband and they started selling Indian helm in the hospital. They turned the hospital to herbs selling but after few weeks of sealing to rectify the whole thing, we opened it.
Earlier, the chairman of Administrative Panel of Enquiry,
Amankanu Community, HRH Igwe Hycenth Eze, emphasized the importance of peace, unity, and community development.
He highlighted that Amankanu has remained relatively peaceful compared to other communities experiencing violence, attributing this to divine grace.
The chairman urged community members to seek understanding and for traditional rulers and legal professionals to promote peace as the foundation for progress.
“I want to use this opportunity to tell you people that Amankanu have good luck because there is a community if they are having this kind of issue, all you will be hearing is that about 5, 7 or 10 person were killed around so, so place but I have not heard such bad news.
“But by the grace of God nobody has been reported killed because human beings are sacred. it’s true that temptation came and nobody was killed in the process. Thank God for the grace.
“Anybody that loves a leader should not only praise him asking him not to worry, the day he will worry, it will be bad. If not that I am a lover of lawyers, I would have said that they don’t help us, but eventually, I have three lawyers in my house. What lawyers should do is to advise not to claim right. Claiming right those not bring peace. What brings peace is understanding.
“What bring progress is peace, I was wondering when will we reach Amankanu without knowing that it’s a thick forest like this. Sorry to say that. I couldn’t find a good building here. But I am asking God who gave us Gov. Peter Mbah that is doing all these work in Enugu State that after today, good things will start happening here in Amankanu.
“There are some certain things we do and thought is wisdom but it’s foolishness. Some of you will have a good house in Enugu but don’t have anything in your father’s land. May be I will see the main Amankanu Community next time I will come. I enjoined all the traditional rulers here and lawyers to advice people about peace because it’s only peace that bring progress and development.
