Uwheru Residents Protest Return of Suspended President-General

Residents of Uwheru Community in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest against the reinstatement of their suspended President-General, Chief MacPherson Igbedi. The protesters opposed the action taken by the council chairman, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, saying it was carried out without the consent of the community.

The protest, which led to the shutdown of markets, schools and shops, featured placard-carrying demonstrators and a symbolic white coffin stained with red paint. They faulted the decision of the council chairman, insisting that the move undermined the collective will of the people.

Youth Leader and Community Secretary, Comrades Otuogba Mudiaga and Oghenevwede Obruche, said Uwheru Kingdom had unanimously rejected Igbedi’s return after extensive consultations across the five quarters of the kingdom. They maintained that an investigative committee set up after his suspension found that he had lost the confidence of the people.

Reacting, Chief MacPherson Igbedi said his reinstatement followed a security meeting where allegations against him were reviewed and found to be untrue. He claimed the protest was driven by individuals who were uncomfortable with the outcome of the findings.