There is palpable tension in Obi-Mbieri Autonomous Community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State as the Traditional Ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Josiah Osuji allegedly hired over twenty thugs to stop the burial of his uncle’s wife, late Mrs Louis Osuji.
The monarch, who is said to be a foster son to the diseased is alleged to be a thorn on the flesh of members of the extended royal family.
Adolphus Osuji, a son of the deceased who spoke to newsmen recently, said that the traditional ruler has shut him and his brothers out of the house for over six months and surrounded the compound with fierce-looking thugs.
He further disclosed that the monarch had earlier served them a notice to vacate the compound or be forced out.
According to him, trouble started when the monarch wrote them a letter fifteen years after their father’s burial claiming ownership of the compound.
“When he served us with the letter that we should vacate the compound, we threatened to sue him if he fails to retract the letter. We had earlier petitioned the kinsmen on this issue.
“I wonder how someone will wake up to claim ownership of a compound that does not belong to him. This is a man that was accommodated and raised by my late father from cradle to adult. My father was buried in the same compound in 2006 and he never raised an eyebrows.
“Eze Osuji as a foster son to my late father has no right to drag the family compound with us, talk less of driving us out of the family house.
“It will amaze you to hear that I and my siblings have been sleeping outside for over six months. Our family house has been surrounded with thugs numbering over twenty and they are threatening to kill us.
“As I speak, my late mother is in the mortuary. We have made every effort to broker peace but he rather prefers war. There is nothing the Eze has not done to frustrate us, because he feels he has money.
“When we came back to repair our father’s house, the Eze initiated a police action from Orie Mbieri division stating that we have destroyed his palace.
“When the police ordered us to go home and retrieve our property before they are destroyed, we met the compound under lock and keys. Since then, that gate has remained locked against us.
“As if that was not enough, he petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and set up another committee in the community made up of his stooges but we rejected it. Yet, they went ahead to publish their so-called resolutions.
“He said I’m an APC man and he is of the PDP, that I should go away with my supreme court imposed Governor.
“I want to use this medium to call on the government of Imo State ably led by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma to wade into this issue and bring due sanction on the Eze,” he narrated.
Concluding, he said that the monarch has committed a sanctionable offense hence should be suspended by the government.
