Some members of the Ogwashi -Uku community have petitioned the Delta State government following the emergence and activities of the brother of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ifechukwude Okonjo as the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, a prominent community in Anaocha South Local Government Area of the State......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Sharpnews.ng reports that Okonjo is facing allegations of misconduct following the disclosure of a past criminal conviction in the United States.
The monarch, who was said to have assumed the traditional role shortly after the death of his father in 2019, was revealed to have been convicted of theft in Montgomery County, Maryland, in 1997.
The revelation stirred controversy in Ogwashi- Uku, prompting some members to petition the Delta State Government, urging an investigation into Okonjo’s alleged actions since taking the throne.
In the court records reviewed, Okonjo was convicted of theft of computers and related equipment from Digital Equipment Corporation, valued at over $300, between January and March 1995 and sentenced to one year in prison, with a separate six-month sentence added for failing to surrender himself within 30 days of bail forfeiture.
In the petition dated October 4, 2024, and signed by prominent members of Ogwashi-Uku community, which include, Chiedu Enwenwa, Hyacinth Okolie, Ellen Adigwe, and Bruce Ugo Emordi. Represented by the law firm F.O. Okolie to the Delta State Government and the State Security Service, SSS, they allege that Okonjo has engaged in illegal activities, including land grabbing, arms smuggling, and the formation of armed militia groups, to assert control over local land and intimidate residents.
They also claimed Okonjo used his influence to recruit armed vigilante groups which they alleged has been involved in violent crimes such as kidnapping and murder, to seize land and enforce his authority.
According to the historical timeline outlined in the petition, a pattern of concerning events involving Okonjo and his younger brother were uncovered.
Both were accused of theft in the United States in the 1990s, and both, it was learned, failed to attend court hearings, resulting in bail forfeitures.
At the time of his 1995 arrest, Okonjo was living with his sister, now World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Okonjo was subsequently convicted and sentenced in 1997, with his younger brother, Onyema facing similar charges and sentencing in 1998, although it is unclear if either brother served their sentences or returned to Nigeria before completion.
The allegations against Okonjo come at a time of heightened tension in Ogwashi-Uku, where some residents claim the traditional ruler’s actions threaten the peace and stability of the community.
They expressed concern that the community risks descending into lawlessness if unresolved issues remain.
In response to the allegations, Okonjo’s palace secretary, Ifeakanachukwu Emordi dismissed the reports of the theft conviction as untrue, stating that Okonjo would address the claims publicly soon.
The traditional ruler’s brother, Onyema Okonjo also refuted the petitioners’ stance, stating that they do not represent the community and clarifying that, according to Ogwashi-Uku’s customs, all land in the area is held in trust by the traditional ruler.
He described the land-related accusations as a misunderstanding of the community’s tenure system, emphasizing that the Obi does not have to grab any land that is already under his custody.
He also supported an SSS investigation into the vigilante groups and other matters raised in the petition.
In response to the escalating situation, the Delta State Government has taken steps to investigate.