{"id":14433,"date":"2015-06-22T10:46:26","date_gmt":"2015-06-22T10:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/?p=14433"},"modified":"2015-06-22T10:46:26","modified_gmt":"2015-06-22T10:46:26","slug":"imo-and-war-of-traditional-rulers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/?p=14433","title":{"rendered":"Imo And War Of Traditional Rulers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nOne of the Institutions the Democratic System of Governance in Imo State has helped to destroy, than to consolidate, is the Traditional Rulership. Instead of strengthening the Traditional stools that dates back centuries, democracy and politics have reduced the revered Institution to a two-a-penny market.
\nAs I write this piece, there are over two hundred autonomous communities in the state, with Traditional Rulers. While any \u201cBig Man\u201d can approach the Government and be carved out his own autonomous community, some of those already made Traditional Rulers do not even qualify to \u201crule\u201d their families, let alone a Kingdom.
\nPresently, there is a war of attrition raging among Traditional Rulers in the State, which was necessitated by an alleged investigation and expulsion of some First Class monarchs from participating in activities of Traditional Rulers in the State.
\nThis war can be said to be between those Traditional Rulers that are benefitting and working for the incumbent All Progressives Congress, APC, Government in the State led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha, and the other Group of Traditional Rulers, said to be \u201cloyal\u201d to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
\nThe \u201cPDP Royal Fathers\u201d Group is led by His Royal Highness, Eze Cletus llomuanya of Obinugwu Kingdom in Orlu Zone.
\nllomuanya is the Chairman of Imo Traditional Rulers Council and that of the entire South East States, comprising Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu.
\nHowever, when the present administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha defeated the PDP Government which appointed Ilomuanya, in 2011 election, the incumbent Governor decided not to recognise Ilomuanya, but appointed his own man, Eze Samuel Ohiri of Orodo Community in Owerri Zone as the Chairman of Imo Traditional Rulers Council.
\nHowever, Ilomuanya resisted the sack and headed to Court to seek Justice saying his tenure had not elapsed. Luckily for Ilomuanya, the highest Court in the land, the Supreme Court gave a verdict in Ilomuanya’s favour as the authentic Chairman of the Traditional Rulers in Imo State.
\nUnfortunately, he who pays the Piper dictates the tune. Since Ilomuanya cannot operate smoothly without the backing of the Imo State Government, led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha, he continues to operate like a General without troops, because Okorocha does not want him.
\nEven after the Supreme Court had ordered that Ilomuanya be given the full recognition as the Head of Imo Traditional Rulers, it has remained difficult for him because it has not been possible to reconcile Ilomuanya with the Government of Imo State which he dragged to Court. Nor does Okorocha trust Ilomuanya, to leave the Leadership of Imo Traditional Rulers in his hands, since a lot of waters have passed under the bridge, because of the litigation of who is the authentic Eze Imo which has gone viral in the public domain.
\nIn the event, despite the fact that Okorocha refuses to accord Ilomuanya the respect he deserves as a Traditional Ruler, the Monarch gets Red Carpet treatment at Aso Rock, Abuja, from former President Goodluck Jonathan.
\nTherefore, during the period the hotly contested Presidential election looked elusive to Jonathan, Ilomuanya coordinated some sections of Imo Traditional Rulers to honour Jonathan who visited Imo State in search of votes, as the situation became dicey.
\nEven at that event, there were skirmishes between Imo APC women and Ilomuanya’s faction of the Traditional Rulers as they fought for the Traditional Ruler’s office, the designated venue for the Jonathan Parley with Imo Traditional Rulers, which had earlier been assigned to APC women as their office by Okorocha, in the name of Women Development Centre.
\nHowever, with the elections over and Jonathan sent packing from Aso Rock Villa, this appears the payback time for Ilomuanya and his loyalists in the Imo Traditional Rulers Council.
\nIndeed, as I write this piece, over fifty Traditional Rulers in Imo have been \u201cinvestigated\u201d and not only suspended, but may face \u201ctrial\u201d soon. What Imo people are presently waiting for is the day they will appear before Eze Ohiri’s or the Conventional Court and their charges pronounced for Imo populace to note.
\nIt was learnt that a Panel headed by Eze Chidume Okoro, the Deputy Chairman of Imo Traditional Rulers Council found these \u201cerring\u201d Monarchs culpable.
\nAmong those said to have been marked for \u201ctrial\u201d are two foremost revered Traditional Rulers in Imo State: Eze Emmanuel Emenyeonu Njemanze and Eze Desmond Ogugua.
\nBut what were their offences? That they attended a meeting summoned by Ilomuanya, who in the eyes of Imo State Government, remains sacked and deposed as a Traditional Ruler, despite the pronouncement from the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the contrary.
\nWith this latest imbroglio, there is no gain saying that there is trouble in some communities in Imo State, which if not properly handled may go out of hand.
\nThe foundation of every given State is the communities, which is the aggregation of the entire society. From all indications, if this matter of suspension and dethronement of over fifty Imo Traditional Rulers are not nipped in the bud, the issue may lead to Communal disturbances which may escalate beyond redemption.
\nBut unfortunately, in all these red signals, the Government of Imo State seems not bothered over what such desecration of Traditional Stools may portend for the State if the Communities explode into conflagrations for demeaning of their Traditional Rulers by the Eze Ohiri camp.
\nMeanwhile, the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha even though aware of this time Bomb said it was beyond him, since it is a matter for Traditional Rulers.
\nHear the Governor \u201cThe attention of the Rescue Mission Government in the State has been drawn to the reported suspension of Four Traditional Rulers in the State and the trial of more than fifty other Ezes by the State’s Eze’s Council.\u201d
\nThe statement signed by the Governor’s Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo went on to say, \u201cThe Government in the State with Rochas Okorocha as Governor has a culture. The culture of not being vindictive even at the height of provocation.\u201d
\nWith this statement, the Government felt it has washed its hands off this Traditional Rulers brouhaha in the State, pushing all the blames on the table of Eze Samuel Ohiri.
\nIt is not enough. What Okorocha’s Government is doing in this circumstance is just playing the Ostrich.
\nWho does not know that Eze Ohiri has not got the power to suspend his fellow Traditional Rulers without the express backing of the Chief Executive of the State?
\nWhere have you heard a Commissioner or Minister suspending his colleague? As a concerned citizen of Imo State, I am appealing to the Governor, to solve this matter now, before the crippling crisis explodes out of hand.
\nUnfortunately for Eze Ohiri and the Government, they picked the wrong elements in Ezes Njemanze and Ogugua.
\nThese are renowned Traditional Stools that their present occupiers and Subjects cannot fold their arms and watch to be desecrated. Both Njemanze and Ogugua Stools are not these \u201cBallot Traditional Rulers\u201d. These are hereditary stools existing years before democracy set foot in Nigeria.
\nFor instance, the Njemanze Stool has been in existence for over Four Hundred Years. Nobody existing now in Imo State can tell you when that Stool was first \u201cinaugurated\u201d. Therefore, all the parties involved must be careful. I see trouble brewing!
\nNo matter what you give an \u201cOwerre\u201d man or woman, they cannot join in destroying their Ezeship Stool. Owerri people could be in disagreement among themselves, but not when it comes to their Traditional Rulership. The Owerri Traditional Stool is one of the few in the State that has remained hereditary till date.
\nAttempts by past administrations to balkanise the Kingdom and the stool by \u201cappointing\u201d another Eze in Owerri domain has failed because no real son of Owerri-Nchi-Ise would connive to create another Ezeship Stool, outside that approved by their forefathers, which has remained sacrosanct till date.
\nIs Eze Desmond Ogugua not that revered Traditional Ruler which Sir Warrior and Oriental Brothers Band sang with his name, when we were toddlers? Trouble Sleep, Yanga wan wake am!
\nThe office of the Chairman of Ezes in Imo ought to be a Ceremonial one whose holder could be called once in a while by the Governor to advise on Cultural and Traditional Affairs.
\nBut unfortunately, some of our Traditional Rulers have been converted to Personal Assistants, PAs, by politicians which is caused by the modalities the Governments in the State use in creating autonomous communities, and selecting Traditional Rulers.
\nBefore now, Traditional Rulers were revered not because of how much they have but for being the Cultural and Traditional representatives of the people. It does not matter how old or rich such persons are provided their people have chosen them as their king.
\nWhen we were growing up here, it was not easy to see Eze Onuegwunwoke, Eze Emeana of Naze, Eze Njemanze of Owerri, Eze Agumannu of Nekede, Eze Obi of Emekuku, Eze Nwaturuocha of Mbaise, Eze Egbukole of Egbu and other revered Traditional Rulers.
\nEven during the Military regimes, the Military Administrators go to their Palaces to see them. How many times did we see Eze Ibenye-Ugbala roaming around Government House looking for a PA to the Governor? Was it not Eze Njemanze that told late Governor Amadi Ekweche in his face \u201cNa Kwa Echecki\u201d? How many Traditional Rulers now can dare a Civilian Governor, much more a military Governor?
\nHowever, the Imo Traditional Rulers are suffering these humiliations because some of them allowed Politicians to lure them deep into real politics. Most of them are the creations of Politicians, therefore are being used by them for political battles, which destroys the Cultural and Traditional neutral role expected of a respected Traditional Ruler.
\nBut talking about partisanship. Even if some Traditional Rulers were involved in identifying with a particular political party or individual, it does not warrant all the trouble going on in the State now.
\nDoes Eze Ohiri think of tomorrow? What if another administration comes and decides to destroy him because of the roles he played during Okorocha’s regime? That is why all parties should thread with care, for the future is unpredictable.
\nAnd the Governor cannot fool anybody by saying that he knows nothing about this contentious issue. If he does not, he will soon hear of it when the matter goes out of hand soon. After all, he is the Chief Security Officer of the State.
\nNobody should be persecuted for being friends to any Group or individual. I see the hand of persecution in this matter. These Traditional Rulers are being \u201ctried\u201d for working for other political parties other than the incumbent APC in the State. Nothing more, no less.
\nBut it may lead to communal chaos which will do no one any good. Any matter that touches communal and Traditional arteries of a State is delicate and dangerous.
\nConfronting the Traditional Stool of Owerri, which hosts the Imo State Government House, is a frontal assault on Owerri people. And they will not tolerate that. This is like touching the Tiger by the Tail. Whoever checks the pulse of Owerri people will know that this is a wrong time to try their patience.
\nPlease, Governor Okorocha take charge and pull this chestnut out of the fire before it gets late.
\nOwerri people have been complaining how their lands have been taken away from them by the Government, to the extent that they do not have where to bury their loved ones.
\nThey once lamented how the Palace of their Traditional Ruler got burnt and the State Government looked away.
\nThey have complained of being marginalised in Government appointments and even of systematic plot going on to ease out their people from the public service top positions.
\nFor Mbaise Clan, any attempt to disgrace Eze Desmond Ogugu will \u201cunite\u201d Mbaise people, who are still raging that their son was denied the Governorship of Imo State through ungodly machinations.
\nThe atmosphere is too charged in the state for anybody to stir up any trouble now. And unfortunately, Eze Ohiri is from Owerri Zone, and may be accused by posterity of being used to disorganise the Cultural heritage of two respected Traditional Stools in Owerri zone and Igboland.
\nLet wisdom prevail in this circumstance. Let the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha intervene and reduce this tension building up in Owerre-Nchi-Ise and Mbaise Clan, as the after-effects will touch all in Imo people. Caution! Caution! Caution! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the Institutions the Democratic System of Governance in Imo State has helped to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-columnists"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","elegant-magazine-featured":"","elegant-magazine-medium":"","elegant-magazine-medium-small":"","elegant-magazine-thumbnail-small":""},"author_info":{"info":["Imo Trumpeta"]},"category_info":"Last-Line<\/a>","tag_info":"Last-Line","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14433"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14435,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14433\/revisions\/14435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imotrumpeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}