Fanfare, joy, happiness and encomiums engulfed the entire Nnenato Ihioma autonomous community in Orlu L.G.A. of Imo State as the five villages that make up the community unanimously elected the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zicli Group, Inesfly Africa and Adams Blue group of companies, Chief Clifford Chinagorum Okoronkwuuba as the eze-elect of the community.
Both meaningful men and women from Ezioha, Umuarokpu, Umuezeala, Umudim and Isiorji villages were all gathered in the Umuezeala Multi-Purpose Unity Hall on Saturday, August 8, 2020 to produce the new eze-elect.
The election, which later became unopposed as all voted for Chief Clifford Okoronkwuuba, who did not have rivalry, was witnessed by eminent personalities in the LGA and Imo State at large.
The fanfare commenced at about 1.07pm on that sunny and clement day as canon guns were shot unstopped and continuous blaring of the siren. Various types of masquerades were there doing their thing. To cap it up, the Amara Greatest Brothers (Igba eze) led by Damain Ugwumba thrilled the crowd with their dancing troupe.
In his speech, the Chairman of the 5-man Eze screening committee, Hon. Ichie Udoka Okolie thanked the people for the production of the new Eze elect.
He said, “I accept the honour given to me as the eze-elect. I will ensure that I put in more resources to make Nnenato Ihioma thick. I thank the committee that handled the screening exercise. I also thank our PG, Chief Cyriacus Ajeh-Obiefule for his unalloyed efforts. Ezeship portfolio is a call for service. I reiterate that I will do everything humanly possible to move Nnenato Ihioma forward”.
Speaking after the unopposed election, Hon. Ichie Udoka from Umuarokpu Nnenato Ihioma thanked the Nnenato Ihioma people (both men and women) for the election of the new Eze-elect.
Okolie said, “The need for a new eze was avidly needed in Nnenato. This was because all the grants to the community were always diverted, owing to lack of Eze in Nnenato. We thank God Almighty for giving us Chief Cyriacus Ajeh-Obiefule, who is the President General and other people of like minds. It was he (Obiefule) who was in-charge of the administration of the community while the regent (who is not a traditional ruler) was the head during the period of not having an eze. He is among the protagonists that fought for a new and qualified person to be elected as Eze and ensured that the community was not relegated to the background in the traditional scheme of things”.
He thanked God Almighty for a successful election of Chief Clifford Chinagorum Okoronkwuuba, adding that initially he thought that the exercise would not be a reality and success.
“The smooth and peaceful process that produced Clifford really depicted that the hands of God are upon our community”, Okolie added.
Beaming with great joy and smiles, the President General, Chief Sir Cyriacus Ajeh-Obiefule, who hails from Isiorji Nnenato Ihioma described the eze-elect as a man of humility, generosity and philanthropy, adding that his antecedents were equal to none.
Obiefule, a Knight of Columbus however, noted that in the heat of COVID-19 pandemic, he (Eze-elect) single handedly brought over N3million palliatives to the entire community.
Obiefule said, “Apart from that, the Eze-elect single handedly provided uniform to our security outfit known as Imo Community Watch”. He built a paint industry in Ihioma which provided meaningful employment to our people. He has equally built five houses for the indigent people of Nnenato. That notwithstanding, Chief Clifford has over 100 people under his employment in his companies. He is a community leader of no mean order, who believes in fighting the course of the masses and does everything to ensure that justice and equity prevail. Eze-elect Clifford is a man of many paths with distinguished personality. He stands unopposed for this Ezeship responsibilities owing for his track records, antecedents and the type of man he is”.
Adding her voice, Mrs. Olamma Udoka thanked God Almighty for the peaceful way the election of the Eze-elect went and called on the people especially the women to totally support the Eze-elect for the progress of the community.
For Ezinwa Asigha Joe-Collins of Umuezeala Nnenato Ihioma, the peaceful choice of the Eze-elect was another giant stride to the community. He prayed God Almighty to elongate the life span of the Eze-elect, adding that the last Eze did not stay long in office.
Joe Collins, who is also the President of Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria of Regina Paecis Catholic Parish, Ihioma said, “We shall give him all the needed support. I pray God Almighty to elongate his stay in office with the gift of wisdom, He gave to biblical King Solomon”.
In his short acceptance speech, Okoronkwuuba thanked the entire community for the honour given to him. He said that he would do everything possible to move the community forward.
He said, “I accept the honour given to me as the eze-elect. I will ensure that I put in more resources to make Nnenato Ihioma thick. I thank the committee that handled the screening exercise. I also thank our PG, Chief Cyriacus Ajeh-Obiefule for his unalloyed efforts. Ezeship portfolio is a call for service. I reiterate that I will do everything humanly possible to move Nnenato Ihioma forward”.
The adjournment of the special session that produced the Eze-elect was moved by the Secretary of Nnenato Ihioma (Lagos Branch), Mr. John Ihekwuba Onuoha and was seconded by Mr. Ndubuisi Ezike.
