… Overlooks LGA, Chieftaincy Affairs Ministry, Council Boss Authorities
A traditional ruler in Imo State, Eze Anthony Oguzie of Umuagwo Ohaji, has been accused by his people of allegedly going against part of the instructions the governor of the state, Senator Hope Uzodimma gave on the status of the town union, youth and women associations in the state.
In view of troubles arising from the manner issues related to existence of town unions, youth and women groups were handled before now, the Governor, who was alarmed by the crisis, instructed that the status quo should remain.
The instruction was said to be handed to LGA Chairmen and the Ministry of the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to ensure peace reigns in the communities. The affected government bodies were asked to maintain peace and tranquility by ensuring that there shouldn’t be any form of truncation of the tenures for appointment of new caretakers or executives members by external forces.
But the governor’s instruction appears to be neglected in Umuagwo autonomous community, where the traditional ruler has been accused of going to the contrary through illegal appointment of caretaker committess after dissolution of existing officials of two bodies in the town.
Irrespective of the fact that there are no crisis or complains from the the Umuagwo Youth Movement, UYM, and Umuagwo Women Association, UWA, Eze Oguzie on his own, through a letter, reportedly dissolved the executive bodies of the two groups and appointed caretaker committess to take charge as against the existence of properly constituted executive committees.
Apart from allegedly violating the instruction of the governor, the action of the traditional ruler runs in contrast to the constitutions of the two bodies which have no provision for caretaker and any caveat empowering Eze Oguzie from appointing caretaker committess for them.
While the UYM constitution approves for a term of three years which will end with the present Executive tenure, the new constitution is for a term of four years and the executive shall be formed through election and not caretaker appointment by the Eze of the community.
The monarch, in the letter date July 30th, 2025, addressed to various persons including the Town Union President, UYM and UWA leadership communicated his decision of unilaterally dissolving the UYM and UWA and setting up caretaker committess. The UYM president, Comrade Albanus Opara, alongside the President General of the Town Union, Chief Nicholas Amadi, who had dragged Eze Oguzie to court over undue interference in the internal affairs of the government of the union, youth and women in a response letter, informed Eze Oguzie that his unilateral action of setting up caretaker committess were at variance with the laws of the two bodies and therefore of no effect whatsoever. Despite being an attempt to throw the community into turmoil, the Town Union PG and Youth President informed the Eze through a letter of an existing court action instituted against him for earlier action of writing the groups in the community to stop further meetings and gatherings for the good of the town.
While the Town Union and Youth body are of the view that the action of the Eze runs fouls of the Governor’s instruction, indications are high that the monarch didn’t obtain permission from the Ministry of LGA and Chieftaincy Affairs or notified the Local Government of any matter with the bodies before his action.
His action may also be termed as “contempt of court” as the suit instituted against him in the court borders on his alleged intervention in the internal affairs of properly constituted bodies in the community which had been in existence before he became the traditional ruler of the community.
