UMUOJISI EZESHIP CRISIS; LG Chair “Morocco” Okwara’s Double Standard Exposed, As State Govt Disowns Deceitful Newspaper Publication -

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UMUOJISI EZESHIP CRISIS; LG Chair “Morocco” Okwara’s Double Standard Exposed, As State Govt Disowns Deceitful Newspaper Publication

The crisis over the disputed emergence and recognition of HRH Chinedu Uzoukwu as Traditional Ruler of Umuojisi Autonomous Community in Ideato South LGA has assumed a new dimension following the reported disassociation of the Imo State Government from a newspaper publication which purportedly reaffirmed Uzoukwu’s recognition by the government.

The publication, which appeared in the Nigerian Horn newspaper on August 13, 2026, under the headline, “Govt Reaffirms Recognition of HRH Chinedu Uzoukwu As Traditional Ruler Of Umuojisi Autonomous Community,” reportedly came shortly after a peaceful protest at Government House and the State Secretariat in Owerri by Umuada, women and youths of Umuojisi. The protesters had opposed what they described as the imposition of a traditional ruler and the concealment of vital information relating to a pending appeal. According to the protesters, the state government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, frowned upon the alleged deceptive process surrounding the purported recognition and directed that the proposed coronation be halted pending the resolution of the issues in dispute; which was obliged and the coronation was halted.

However, the reported disassociation by the state government from the newspaper publication has opened a fresh controversy, with stakeholders demanding to know who authorised the purported response and on whose authority the newspaper was made to believe that the state government had reaffirmed the disputed recognition.

Attention has consequently turned to the Executive Chairman of Ideato South LGA, Hon. Okechukwu Okwara, whom aggrieved members of the community accuse of interfering in a matter they contend should be governed by established constitutional, cultural, traditional and governmental procedures. The community further alleges that Okwara directed the protesters to take their grievances to Government House and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, only for a response purportedly emanating from “Ideato South Local Government” to subsequently appear in the media on an issue over which, according to the protesters, the council had earlier indicated that it lacked the authority to determine state recognition.

The development has prompted calls for an investigation into whether the council chairman or any other official exceeded his lawful authority or created a false impression of the position of the state government. The protesters argue that the matter is particularly sensitive because of the existence of a pending judicial process, insisting that no public official should act in a manner capable of undermining the integrity of the courts, circumventing due process or compromising the traditional institution of the community.

Stakeholders have also recalled the handling of the matter under former Ideato South chairman, Hon. Pastor Bede Ikeaka, who, according to them, received the Notice of Appeal in Suit No. CA/OW/333/21 on the 12th November 2021, and refrained from recommending Uzoukwu for state recognition while the judicial process remained unresolved. They contend that the former chairman’s approach demonstrated the importance of allowing the rule of law and due process to prevail over political expediency.

The people of Umuojisi are consequently calling on Governor Hope Uzodimma and the appropriate authorities to investigate the entire episode, establish the source and authorisation of the disputed publication, and take appropriate action against anyone found to have misrepresented the position of the government or abused public office. They insist that prosecution should follow where criminal wrongdoing is established, while Okwara should consider resigning if an independent investigation confirms the allegations against him. Their overriding demand, they say, is simple: no recognition through concealment, no traditional rulership through imposition, and no public authority above the rule of law.

Recall that last year, the same controversy took another dramatic turn when, according to community stakeholders, Hon. Okechukwu Okwara was allegedly accused of deploying heavily armed security personnel to barricade Umuojisi Hall in an attempt to prevent women of the community from holding their annual August Meeting. The community alleged that the action was connected to their refusal to accept what they described as an illegal resignation and the broader controversy surrounding the traditional leadership of the autonomous community. The latest development has therefore revived concerns among stakeholders over what they describe as a pattern of Okwara’s interference in the affairs of Umuojisi, with renewed demands that the authorities establish the facts and ensure that the community’s autonomous status, and all her traditional and judicial processes are respected.