By Okey Alozie
The 2021 Iriji Mbaise festival has come and gone but the royal fathers who were not physically seen at the venue of the centrally organized event which took place at Ahiazu Mbaise LGA may be in trouble if what Trumpeta learnt is considered.
Trumpeta was informed that following the little disagreement related to the conduct of the festival which pitched the Ezuruezu, Ndi Ezeji, political appointees and the traditional rulers against each other, the state government moved in to have the event organized.
This newspaper had written about the said disagreement among the stakeholders with the monarchs said not to be favourable to the public hosting of the event.
Our reporter was informed that that the royal fathers resolved not to honour the event but the information of alleged threat to sack those who failed to come fired them to attend to make real the threat there was attendance register to check those who didn’t attend. Our revealed that there were attendances register that showed record of those who did not come.
Before the Iriji Mbaise festival on Sunday, Ndieze Mbaise and Ezuruezu Mbaise group made it clear that there is not going to be a centrally planned festival.
A counter order came from Ndieze-Ji Mbaise demanding that there must be Iriji festival at the centre (Ahiazu Mbaise).
The message went further to reveal that all the 91 autonomous communities in Mbaise will provide delegates that will come for the centrally organized festival at Ahiazu Mbaise.
The Deputy Governor and other top government functionaries graced the occasion. During the Iriji festival report showed that over 30 Ezes in Mbaise came at Ahiazu while others were absent for the celebration.
Information now revealed that government has plans to sanction those absent to withdraw staff of office of the Ezes who refuse to be present at the centrally planned Iriji.
It was gathered that directive from Government House came to them earlier enough, yet they disobey the order and refuse to come.
