Pecohub Anambra State government has threatened to sue the minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, for allegedly undermining the state traditional institution.
The commissioner for Local Government, Communities and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, in a statement issued in Awka yesterday, accused the widow of the leader of defunct Biafra, the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu of committing “abomination” by accepting a chieftaincy title from someone impersonating as the traditional ruler of Awka community, one Chief Austin Ndigwe, when she knew that the said Ndigwe is not the traditional ruler of the community.
The commissioner also described Amb. Ojukwu ‘s action as an “affront” to the Anambra State government because according to him the late Biafran leader’s wife is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) government in the state and that she knew that as a policy of the government, “it is only a traditional ruler of a community duly recognised and issued with a certificate of recognition by the state government that has the powers to conference Chieftaincy title on any person.”
Chief Nwabunwanne further stated that according to the guidelines in the state traditional rulers law enacted by the state assembly only persons who are indigenes or residents of the community, can be conferred a traditional title. To confer title on a non-native or resident of a community the traditional ruler must confirm in writing that such person is a person of good character and the chieftaincy conferment would also be approved by the state Ministry of Local Government, Communities and Chieftaincy Matters.
The commissioner, however, stated that Amb. Ojukwu did not comply with the above stipulated guidelines before presenting herself to Chief Ndigwe who according to Chief Nwabunwanne parades official letterhead paper as “HRM, Eze-Uzu 111 of Awka” to confer her with a “fake” traditional title of “Anyanwu N’ etilu Ora” during his performance of “Igo Aro” festival.
The Commissioner further stated that the state government recognised traditional ruler of Awka, His Royal Highness, Obi Gibson Nwosu (Eze-Uzu 11) aged 92 years is still “alive and agile” notwithstanding that he is battling with sight challenges.
He also stated that the reigning Awka monarch was a reputable retired Air- force officer who flew fighter jet solo on the side of Biara during the civil war, and, was even exiled for 15 years with the Biafran leader at Ivory coast and later in Zimbabwe.
Nwabunwanne also stated that Obi Gibson Nwosu had just last year as the traditional ruler of Awka conferred a Chieftaincy title of “Omenife Awka” on the incumbent President Bola Tinubu during the latter’s official visit to the state.
The commissioner also argued that the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo was forced sometime few years ago to warm Ndigwe from parading himself as the traditional ruler of Awka, adding that Amb Ojukwu was fully aware of the governor’s warning to Ndigwe.
“As a responsible government we must take a necessary steps to protect our traditional institution from any assault”, the Commissioner added.
