TENSION is mounting in the sleepy Oraukwu community in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State following crisis that erupted in the area over the selection of the traditional ruler for the town. Since the demise of the former traditional ruler of the community five years ago, it had been difficult for the king makers to agree on the modality to the selection of the replacement for the late monarch.
Vanguard gathered that while most sections of the community insist that the constitution of the town must be followed strictly in selecting a new monarch, a group came up with the argument that certain rigid measures should be dropped in order to make the selection easier. The matter came to a head recently when the group that wants the community to drop some aspects of the selection processes tried to force the Regent of the town, Chief F.N. Chiedu to anoint a particular aspirant as the next traditional ruler without going through the laid down processes.
Chiedu told Vanguard in his palace at Oraukwu that most members his cabinet insisted that the constitution of the town must be strictly followed to the letter in selecting the new traditional ruler. He argued that as the custodian of the customs and traditions of the people, he would not compromise the constitution of Oraukwu on the matter, adding that most people in the community also insist that an unpopular candidate should not be foisted on them.
He said: “Igweship in Oraukwu rotates among the villages that make up the community. Usually, the village whose turn it is to produce the Igwe nominates three candidates from which one would be elected and crowned the traditional ruler. “The election for the selection of the Igwe is normally done by members of the Regent-In-Council, members of executive of the Town Union and one representative from each of the villages that make up the town.
“A situation whereby some members of the community want to circumvent the provisions of the constitution to impose a candidate of their choice on the town as the traditional ruler, is unacceptable. “The group had committed an abomination by breaking into my house on December 30, 2015 when I was not around and pretentiously posed in a photograph as having presented their elected Igwe to me.
“Neither myself, nor members of Regent-In- Council were around when the group came, but they later went around to announce that they were received by me. “What members of the group did was unacceptable and they have to offer sacrifice to cleanse the land before we go back to discuss the issue of installing our next Igwe”
He called on officials of Idemili North local government area and the Anambra State government not to recognize any person who may be presented by the group, adding that only the Regent-In-Council can present the Igwe of Oraukwu community to government. A member of the cabinet, Chief A.N. Ugochukwu who allegedly led the group to the palace of the Regent declined to speak on the matter. He however accused other members of the Regent-In-Council of taking the matter too far by their reaction. Read Here!
Vanguard
