The annual August Meeting of Umuojisi Autonomous Community women, inspired by the directives of the Imo State First Lady, Her Excellency Barr Chioma Uzodinma was nearly scuttled on Monday, 18th August 2025, following the unruly actions of one Mr. Chinedu Uzoukwu. The self-styled traditional ruler, who allegedly deceived the state government into recognizing him as the Eze of the community, brazenly attempted to stop the women from holding their event. But the timely intervention of the President General of the Umuojisi Development Union, backed by the steadfast resolve of the community’s stakeholders, restored calm and ensured that the program went on successfully.
The women, led by their chairperson, Mrs. Elizabeth Eze, and vice chairperson, Mrs. Ngozi Ikpa, expressed shock at Uzoukwu’s audacity. According to them, they had been preparing for this year’s meeting with great excitement, eager to showcase their newly acquired uniforms and raise funds for vital projects, including the repair of the community’s borehole. Their enthusiasm, however, was met with threats when Uzoukwu declared the meeting canceled on the pretext that he was neither consulted nor invited.
In a series of alleged threats, Uzoukwu warned the women that if they dared carry out the First Lady’s directive, he would disrupt the meeting and make them “disappear.” On the scheduled day, the community hall was locked, barricaded, and surrounded by fierce-looking security men allegedly imported by him. This heavy-handed move shocked residents and nearly plunged the community into chaos.
The ugly situation, however, was diffused through the exceptional wisdom of the President General, who intervened promptly and rallied stakeholders to support the women. The program, which was billed to start at 10 a.m., eventually commenced at 2 p.m. with both the men and youths of the community present in solidarity. Their financial and moral support ensured that the women were not intimidated into abandoning the two day program of great significance.
Speaking at the event, the women reaffirmed their loyalty to the vision of the Governor’s wife and stressed that no amount of intimidation could derail their commitment to community development. “Our August Meeting has always been a platform for empowerment and progress. This year, we are focusing on water and sanitation through the rehabilitation of our borehole. We cannot allow lawlessness to override development,” said Mrs. Eze.
Stakeholders of Umuojisi also condemned Uzoukwu’s actions in strong terms. Prince Uchenna Nwachukwu, the culturally, traditionally and constitutionally crowned prince of the community, described the incident as “a grievous affront to the dignity of the community,” while youth leader, some of those that spoke, stated: “Anyone who threatens our mothers threatens the entire community. This was not just reckless but a direct insult to the First Lady herself.” They jointly called on the State Governor to urgently intervene and save the community from “impending doom born of the grievous mistake.”
Despite the threats and disruption, the women’s resilience prevailed. Their August Meeting ended on a triumphant note, reaffirming the unity, courage, and progressiveness of Umuojisi. By standing shoulder to shoulder with their women, the stakeholders, men, and youths of the community have once again demonstrated that no impostor or act of intimidation can undermine the will of a determined people.
