By Bright Eluagu
The President General of Anara Autonomous Community in Isiala Mbano LGA of Imo state, Chief Alloy Agbarakwe has cleared the air on the ezeship crisis in the community.
Chief Agbarakwe made the clarification at the weekend, while interacting with newsmen on the ezeship crisis in the area at the weekend.
He said that Anara community has been without a traditional ruler since the passing on of Eze Lawrance Agbugba in 2007. According to him the community has been known for peace.
He also explained that Anara community has elected one Pastor Vincent Ebirim as the eze – elect and has since presented him to the state government for recognition and confirmation.
Chief Agbarakwe further spoke on other disturbing issues regarding the ezeship matter. Hear him, “I can say that the directive of Imo State Government by 1985 to all autonomous communities in Imo state, requesting every community that had not yet presented its mode of election, hand – over of its Ezeship autonomy should do so through its Local Government. When we went to the Eze cabinet during the reign of Eze Lawrance Agbugba, the Anara people, with other villages subscribed to the formula, that after Eze Lawrance Agbugba, the next Eze would emerge from the next senior village ranking. However I quote our former governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, “no responsible government will recognise non – popular choice of the people and the choice of the people will never be swept under the carpet. “We met in Ohakim’s village and it was resolved by the communities and our late Eze was party to the said resolution. However, we are now surprised that after the reign of Eze Lawrance Agbugba, three persons from the same family presented themselves as contestants for the ezeship.
Chief Agbarakwe however described the situation as worrisome and pleaded with Imo state government to intervene in the matter.
