Enugu community monarch places embargo on dead widow burial following land dispute with radio personality, as family seeks justice at WACOL

In the history of humankind, arguably the most enduring farewell message one can give to the dead is “Rest in peace (RIP)”. Unfortunately, one dead person that has been fighting a battle to rest serenely was the late Mrs. Elizabeth Ogbodo Egbuna. Her peaceful internment is under threat because the traditional ruler of the community Ogbeke Agbani in Nkanu West LGA, HRH Igwe Okechukwu Nwobodo Egbuna has vehemently refused to allow the deceased family to bury her. 

The traditional ruler, Igwe had accused the late widow of contravening the community law by reporting a member of the community Mr. Chizoba Ani (alias Chizzy) to WACOL, and subsequently, taking him to court over a land matter.

 The immediate family of late Mrs. Ogbodo Egbuna had fixed the burial date of their beloved mother for Thursday 28, April 2022 (count-down to 4days) but, the monarch has vowed never to allow such a ceremony to happen in his kingdom. 

He is perpetrating this act in connivance with members of his cabinet, the chairman of the Ogbeke, and the Ukuruta autonomous community. The Igwe also barred visitors from attending the burial ceremony, adding that violators of this order would be fined N10, 000.

 The Igwe also ruled that should Mrs.  Ogbodo Egbuna’s family proceeds with the funeral ceremony against his pronouncement, they would be banished from the village.

 It was based on this premise, that the WACOL team paid a visit to the palace of the paramount ruler on Wednesday, 21 April 2022, to ascertain the veracity of his declaration against the burial of this poor widow who died heartbroken fighting for her inheritance. At the traditional ruler’s palace, the WACOL team met his wife at home, but, she said that her husband went for a burial ceremony. However, when the team contacted him on the phone, the Igwe said he was attending the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council meeting. Based on this conflicting report of the royal father and his spouse on his whereabouts, the team concluded that he was not ready to accept the “Olive Branch” being offered to him by WACOL.

 Again, on a further telephone chat with the king, our staff appealed to him to rescind his declaration, and allow the deceased to be given the last respect. He further maintained his stand, saying that it was impossible to so do. He added that the only condition for him to do so is if the family withdraws the pending court case against Mr. Chizoba Ani alias Chizzy the person involved in the land dispute.

 Against this backdrop, WACOL reaffirmed, that the court remains the last arbitrator and hope for the poor, and vulnerable people in the society. That it is within the fundamental human rights of every citizen, irrespective of their religion, gender, or ethnic inclination to approach the court of law for justice when their rights are threatened, as such no citizen should suffer any form of victimization or unjustifiable traditional sanctions for accessing the instrument of justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We, therefore, call on the Enugu State government, the state Ministry of Local Government, and Chieftaincy Matters under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Charles Egumgbe, as well as the Nigerian Police Force to intervene, and avert an impending breakdown of law, and order in the Ogbeke-Agbani community.

 Relevant authorities should rein on the HRH Igwe Okechukwu Nwobodo Egbuna to desist from his anachronistic, and brutish style of leadership, and stop the further desecration of the spirit of the dead widow. He should respect the family’s wish to pay last respect to their dearly departed.

The community should be reminded that such outdated custom is horrendous, anachronistic, bizarre, and inimical to all known rules of law, justice, and equity, which formed the tripod on which Nigerian democracy flourishes, hence, should be consigned to the dustbin of history.

The family has invested huge resources towards arrangements for this planned burial including, purchasing all perishable goods, as well as printed materials such as posters and banners. All these would be wasted should the burial fail to hold.

 WACOL will continue to uphold its mandate which is to promote the rights of women, and girls and protect them, as well as other poor/vulnerable groups in the society from all forms of intimidation, abuse, and discrimination occasioned by obnoxious norms, and practices aimed to silence them, and stifle their spirit of survival and development.

 The Late Mrs. Elizabeth Egbuna was 80 years old when she departed this mother earth three months ago. But, before her death, she fought many battles to sustain the landed properties she inherited from her late husband. One such battle which she never concluded, was the battle with Mr. Chizoba Ani popularly known as Chizzy from the same town, Ogbeke Agbani. Chizzy as he is called is an On-Air Personality (OAP), who is currently working with the Solid FM Radio in Enugu as the host of “Ihe Omenani”.

While she was alive, Mrs. Egbuna had brought a complaint before WACOL Legal Clinic, alleging that Chizzy encroached on her piece of land at Adauru in Ogbeke Agbani community, on the pretense of creating an access road. She noted that despite all her effort to give the said Chizzy an alternative road, he was bent on grabbing her land, leaving her with no other choice than to seek help at WACOL.

 She informed that she first reported to her kinsmen through the chairman, then later to the chairman of the Town Union of Ndigu- Ogbeke. According to her, the chairman frowned at Chizzy’s behavior. The community later resolved that he should use the access road which has been created for him by Mrs. Egbuna at the boundary of the said land, rather than dividing her land into two. But, he defiled the community.

 Again the case was taken to the traditional ruler HRH Igwe Okechukwu Nwobodo Egbuna, the traditional ruler of Ogbeke-Agbani. In his judgment, Igwe blamed Chizzy and advised him to use the access road from the boundary instead of dividing the widow’s land into two. Yet again, Chizzy was adamant.

To also expedite actions, Igwe further advised late Mrs. Egbuna to go the extra mile and create the road for Chizzy at the boundary in the interest of peace. They not only accepted but, also complied. Unfortunately, after spending funds, and time to create the road, Chizzy rejected it and went back to destroy the widow’s crop inside the land in question and even expanded the access road further.

 It was when the Igwe told the widow that he could not intervene further, because Chizzy has been adamant, and had fragrantly defiled all his rulings, that the late Mrs. Egbuna was left with no other option than to seek justice at the WACOL. 

Expectedly, on receiving the complaint, WACOL activated our mechanism for mediating a peaceful resolution but Mr. Chizoba Ani the accused person blatantly refused to honour our invitation. When all efforts to hold a talk with him failed, WACOL was left with no other choice than to take the case to court on behalf of the family. The matter is before High Court at Agbani in suit no HAGB/7/22. 

Parties in the suit are Elizabeth Egbuna as the complaint, Chizoba Ani as the first respondent, and Mr. Reuben Eneh as the second respondent and cousin to the deceased.