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Picture showing protesters, mostly women from Mgbara Community in Ohaji/Egbema LGA of Imo protesting against AfDB proposed project in the area without community consultation on Tuesday.
WOMEN in Mgbara Community, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo, on Tuesday, protested over the proposed siting of African Development Bank (AfDB) project in their community without due consultation.
The women, numbering over 100, stormed the streets with placards, chanting songs, rejecting the project.
Addressing newsmen, the immediate past Youth President of the community, Mr Modrich Ajunwa, said the women have the backing of the entire community.
“We, the people of Mgbara in Egbema, are protesting today to formally communicate our strong objection and rejection of any proposed project or development initiative associated with the AfDB within our community.
“The project has not received the genuine and collective acceptance of the people.
“We respectfully urge AfDB to exercise caution and suspend any engagement or implementation of the proposed project in Mgbara Egbema until concerns of the wider community have been properly addressed,” Ajunwa said.
According to him, the women are demanding an open, transparent and inclusive consultation process.
Ajunwa further urged the bank not to rely solely on representations made by individual politicians, traditional authorities, community representatives or any other persons claiming to speak on behalf of Mgbara Egbema without verifiable evidence of broad community consent.
He said the future, ancestral heritage and common interests of an entire community cannot be decided behind closed doors by two individuals or a small group of persons.
Ajunwa said: “The proposed project has already become a source of serious disagreement, tension and division within the community.
“Rather than promoting development and unity, the circumstances surrounding the project are contributing to breach of peace and growing distrust among members of the community.
“We, therefore, believe that proceeding with the project under the present circumstances could further aggravate the situation and create consequences.”
The former youth leader said such circumstances could be contrary to the principles of sustainable development, community participation, peace building and responsible development.
He emphasised that the protesters were not against development, welcoming genuine development that respected the people, their land, their rights, their culture and their collective interests.
“To build a project, land is needed. Almost all of us here are farmers.
“When they take the land, they take our means of livelihood, and so must deal with members of the community directly.
“No development project should be imposed on a community or advanced through individuals whose positions do not reflect the freely expressed will of majority of the people,” he said.
Furthermore, he said for the project to be accepted, the bank must take their protest seriously as a formal notice of the community’s objection to the proposed project.
“The bank must conduct proper, transparent and inclusive consultations with the wider community before considering any further action due to the growing tension and division that the proposed project is causing within the community,” he stressed.
“The African Development Bank should listen directly to the people of Mgbara Egbema rather than relying exclusively on representations made behind closed doors by few individuals or small group.
“The future of Mgbara Egbema belongs to its people. It cannot be negotiated, surrendered or decided by two men on behalf of an entire community,” he emphasised.
Ajunwa said the community remained committed to peace and lawful dialogue but stressed that they would continue to stand firmly for the protection of their communal and ancestral heritage as well as the collective interests of the people.
“We do not want to see our sons and husbands engage in fist fights that may even result in avoidable tragedy,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the bank, in partnership with the Imo and Federal Governments, is funding the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme that would impact the area.(NAN)
A.I
Aug. 11, 2026
Tags: AfDB Mgbara Egbema Mr Modrich Ajunwa