Peace of the grave yard is hanging over Agbala and Naze both in Owerri North LGA, as the Communities stormed Government House, Owerri to demonstrate against imposition of Traditional Rulers in the Areas.
Agbala Community comprising old men and women, widows, and youths arrived the entrance Gate of the Government House Owerri, as early as 8am to register their protest, with some of them carrying various placards lampooning Hon Dan Ikpeazu.
The Agbala Community accused the member of Imo House of Assembly, Hon Dan Ikpeazu, who hails from Emeke Agbala, and Engr C Ololo the Sole Administrator of Owerri North LGA, of being the brains behind the crisis rocking the Community.
According to Chief Julian Oguike, the spokesman of Agbala Autonomous Community, the entire people of the Community elected Chief Malachy Onu in a free and transparent election last month, where two other candidates participated, and Chief Onu came out as the Eze-elect.
Following the development the Elders of Agbala as part of their tradition conferred Chief Onu with the Ofor of the land as the Eze-elect.
However, in the process of presenting Chief Onu to the Local Government, Hon Ikpeazu, who is from the same village with the Eze-elect used his power to block the presentation of Onu as Eze-elect, with the connivance of the SOLAD of Owerri North LGA, Chief Ololo, by producing one Mr Magnus Amadi as their own candidate.
Chief Abaleke who described Chief Onu as the choice of the entire people asked the Government to listen to the voice of the people.
When contacted, Hon Ikpeazu told Trumpeta that he has no hand in Agbala Ezeship tussle, but said that whoever wants to emerge as Eze should follow the due process by adhering to the Constitution of Agbala Community.
Speaking to the demonstrators at Government House, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sir Jude Ejiogu, represented by his Special Assistant, Mr Okoro urged both parties to sheath their swords, as Government will look into the matter.
Meanwhile, the people of Naze Autonomous Community marched to Government House Owerri to further press home their displeasure over an attempt to circumvent the traditional stool of the Community.
The protesters which included youths, men and women from the Community said among other things that they will resist any attempt to foist Chief Francis Ugorji on them as their traditional ruler.
According to them, “Naze traditional stool is a monarchy like that of Eze Njemanze of Owerri and Eze Egbukole of Egbu among few others in the state that are not rotational”.
Information reaching our newsroom is that more than three people who attempted the Ezeship throne in the past outside the hereditary Emeana family allegedly died in mysterious circumstances.
Our information also had it that the Eze Muruako’s panel on the harmonization of Ezeship crisis in the state had also recommended Eze-elect Egwuchukwu Anthony Emeana who has remained the Eze-elect of Naze for the past 17 years.
Although, the opposing groups are brandishing a document which supports their claims for the rotation of the traditional stool of Naze which however was not signed by the then traditional ruler, Eze Julius Emeana and most of his Cabinet members.
