Tension is brewing in the Iwollo Omashi Kingdom in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State over alleged corruption, sabotage, and abysmal leadership failure by Community leaders.
The youths of Iwollo Omashi Kingdom, comprising four autonomous communities in Ezeagu LGA, namely Iwollo Omashi, Aguobu Iwollo, Owolloti Iwollo, and Amagu Iwollo, under the auspices of the Iwollo Youths General Assembly, are accusing their Traditional Rulers and President Generals of corruption, sabotage and abysmal leadership failure.
Background
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. This infrastructure includes the provision of a water borehole with 2000 gallons storage capacity, the establishment of a skills acquisition center, road development (grading and lateriting), construction of a basic health center facility, and the award of scholarships to at least five of her indigent/ brilliant students amongst other things.
However, the youths accused the company of reneging on its promises despite several letters from the communities, disclosing that one of such letters was written on February 24, 2025.
Allegations Against Traditional Rulers
The youths alleged that the traditional rulers and president general received N3 million in 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.
Vote of No Confidence
In a letter to Enugu State Governor Dr. Peter Mbah dated May 16, 2025, and signed by over a hundred persons where they had urged the governor to intervene, the Youths 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 youths, however, called for a fresh leadership selected through a competitive process to replace the current traditional rulers and President Generals, believing that continuing to pay them salaries and allowances would waste taxpayers’ money.
The alleged corruption and sabotage by traditional rulers and the president general sparked tension and mistrust among the youths, which prompted a protest on April 28 where older women aged 50 and above from Iwollo took to the streets of the villages to show solidarity with the youths.
Reacting, the traditional ruler of the Iwollo Omasi community, Igwe Raph Okolo, denied the allegations of corruption made by a group, Iwollo Youths General Assembly.
Speaking on behalf of the community leaders at a press conference in Enugu, 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 community leaders cannot circumvent developmental projects coming to their community for any reason.
On the Community Development Agreement, CDA, Implementation, Igwe’s Okolo disclosed 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 its operations in the community. It was initially sealed in 2023 but was recently unsealed by the state government, and they commenced operations in October of last year.
“As we’re talking to you now, the company is about completing three boreholes in three communities. They first started by grading the community roads to make them 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 of the public,” the monarch said.
Company’s Response
Ahmed Lawal, the Human Resources Manager of Afrimetals, 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).
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