A dimension has surfaced over ongoing Ezeship tussle ravaging various Communities in Imo State.
At Nekede Ancient Kingdom, the Commissioner for Community Government Council (CGC) and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady (Barr) Ugochi Nnanna-Okoro, escaped attack from hoodlums who invaded Umualum Primary School where she went to address the people on the raging Ezeship crisis rocking the Ancient Kingdom.
While Nekede boiled, some trouble makers are said to be bent on disrupting the peace that has pervaded Iho Dimeze Community in Ikeduru LGA despite the election of a new Eze which was accepted by all and sundry.
Trumpeta observed while Commissioner Okoro was at Nekede to speak on the Ezeship tussle in the area which has pitched two families on a war path. The event had barely started when some hoodlums threw explosives into the school where a small crowd gathered to listen to the submissions of the CGC Commissioner. An eye witness said one Mrs Evelyn Ekeocha came to the field was also injured. The crowd temporarily dispersed but regrouped in a shortwhile which provided the Commissioner the opportunity to continue her speech.
Commissioner Okoro, in her speech, backed the Agumanu family for the Ezeship throne of Nekede Community, saying it is hereditary. She declared that HRH Eze Stephen Agumanu (Agumanu IV) as the rightful heir to the throne. She revealed that over 22 Ezeship tussles have been resolved in the state since the inception of the Rochas Okorocha administration.
In Iho Dimeze Community, some persons who intend to disrupt the peace of the community after successfully electing an Eze.
Speaking to newsmen on the issue at the weekend, the Traditional Prime Minister of Iho Dimeze, Chief Sam Aka enumerated the process which led to the emergence of the new Eze-elect.
He said the process followed due process in line with cultural norms and constitution of the community, stating that 19 kingmakers voted at the election of the Eze.
Aka declared, “Six persons were cleared for the Ezeship contest in Iho-Dimeze, four people showed up, two people backed out. The contestants insisted that there must be election of an Eze. There was secret balloting and Benneth Ewuzie polled 10 of the casted votes to merge the new Eze-elect, Dimeze II. The electoral process was in accordance with the constitution of our land”.
He continued, “Also in line with the laws of the land, the new Eze-Elect were paraded at Eke Ejedibia, that is the ritual in our community. If he was not the right Eze, something devastating would have happened to him. he would have died, but he scaled through”.
Aka lamented that strangely, one Joel Ejimmadu, Vice-President of the Town Union under Emma Amadi’s expired tenure, illegally, constituted itself into an authority and called for another election.
The Traditional Prime Minister further explained that based on this development, the Community Government Council (CGC) in Iho Dimeze petitioned the Imo State Police Command, which prompted the DCA to summon a meeting of all those concerned.
Aka explained that at the meeting presided by the DCA, it was resolved that those aggrieved after the election should head to the law court.
The former Ikeduru LGA Chairman noted that it is stunning that despite the peaceful conduct of the election of an Eze, some people are bent on causing problems in the Community.
“I commend the Nigeria Police Force for being responsive and ensuring that peace returned to Iho-Dimeze Community”, he stated.
In a related development, Community leaders of Obiangwu Autonomous Community has affirmed that the process of selection of the traditional ruler of Obiangwu (Obioha I) Must be in conformity with the constitution of Obiangwu as amended in 2007.
Our correspondent gathered that the traditional stool of Obiangwu Community has been in dispute spanning many years following what the people of Obiangwu described as fraudulent ascension unto the traditional stool of Obiangwu by late HRM Eze Mgbemere Eze Udo I of Obiangwu during the military era.
Investigation carried out by our correspondent revealed that several
Ezeship elections has been conducted in Obiangwu and all were set
aside due to the non-compliance with the provisions of Obiangwu
Constitution, as amended in 2007.
It was also gathered that the Ezeship stool of Obiangwu is usually
attained based on the order of Seniority among the nine villages of
Obiangwu;
1. Umuwaoma
2. Umunehi
3. Umuchoko
4. Umuopara
5. Eziala –
6. Umuolulu
7. Umuekwune
8. Umuene
9. Umueze
According to Mr. Olewezi Augustine “ Umuwaoma constitutionally is the village that will produce the Eze, Chief James Ibe Diala has emerged as a consensus candidate to occupy the traditional stool of Obioha I of Obiangwu and has also been presented to the Sole administrator of Ngor Okpala, Hon. S.U. Okere. The purported election that produced one Chief Gabriel Nwosu was indeed a content of Court. When the election took place, the case of Obiangwu Ezeship Tussle was pending in Court, so such Kangaroo election that produced Gabriel Nwosu is null and void. Our constitution as amended does not recognize Late Eze Mgbemere as a traditional ruler of Obiangwu Community extraction, Chief James Diala has emerged as Eze elect of the Community simple and short. The question of Eze tussle in Obiangwu will soon come to and end in no distance time, the Imo State Government will recognize our Eze — elect.
Contributing his voice, Mazi J.O.Oriaku, a community leader of Obiangwu, said “The consensus endorsement of Chief James Ibe. Diala was a good one, Ezeship should begin in Umuwaoma as the most senior village in Obiangwu” he said.
Comr Chukwuma Anuforo, the youth leader of Obiangwu said the constitution of Obiangwu is the only document that guides and direct the process of Ezeship selection in the community, and Eze — elect James Diala emerged in line with the provision of the Obiangwu constitution as amended in 2007.The youths of Obiangwu are fully in support of who ever emerge from Umuwaoma, we are also aware that interested applicants aspiring for the Ezeship election in Urnuwaoma such as Chief Lukeman Nkwocha and Chief Mathew Ugwuezumba all from Egbelu Umuwaoma has stepped down for James Diala based on this we are solidly behind him.
Also, a Community leader of Obiangwu High Chief Okere Fidelis, said any plebiscite or election conducted in Obiangwu must be in the basis of Obiangwu constitution as amended in 2007. The man that claims he is the Eze-elect of Obiangwu is from the fourth village, Umuopara and his emergence from a purported election is against the constitution of Obiangwu.
Meanwhile, the consensus candidate, Eze-elect James Ibe Diala in an interactive session with youths of Obiangwu in his residence during the weekend assured youths that his aim of returning home to lead the people of Obiangwu is to effect Change in the life of youths, adding that he will make use of his statutory position and attract projects that will benefit the people of Obiangwu, While urging youths to stay away from crime and violence.
