No fewer than eight traditional rulers in Anambra State are on the verge of being suspended from office by the state government following what is described as indiscriminate conferment of chieftaincy titles on undeserving and controversial persons, South-East PUNCH has learnt.
This was just as the traditional ruler of the Nawfia community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, His Royal Highness, Igwe Dr. Daniel Ogochukwu Obelle, has apologised to the governor of the state, Chukwuma Soludo, for flouting the code of conduct guiding the conferment of chieftaincy titles in the state.
A reliable source, who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation, informed that a certain monarch, who conferred chieftaincy titles on no fewer than 72 persons in a day in a community – name withheld – in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state is already a goner.
South-East PUNCH gathered that before the collision with the state government, the monarch was already at loggerheads with some of the high chiefs in his domain for giving the ‘Odenigbo 1’ title to a new person without recourse to a prominent philanthropist in the community, who had been conferred with the same title many years back.
The source said, ”Besides, the chieftaincy title of His Excellency, the executive governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, who is the monarch’s neighbour, is ‘Odenigbo.’
“Again, the monarch in question is a strong supporter of Ifeanyi Ubah. So the state government is not taking his actions lightly.”
South-East PUNCH also reliably gathered that in another community in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state, where the state government had declared the stool vacant as a result of pending court case, one of the two claimants to the stool, who parades himself as the monarch of the community, went ahead in defiance of government’s pronouncement and court processes to confer chieftaincy titles on 40 persons.
In Idemili Local Government Area, a monarch is already in trouble for similar infractions. South-East PUNCH gathered that the monarch had even apologized for his demeanour, while sending emissaries to Soludo for forgiveness.
Again, a certain old monarch, who was allegedly deceived by one of his subjects to confer a controversial chieftaincy title on a gubernatorial aspirant in the state is also in trouble.
Recall that the Nawfia traditional ruler in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Obelle, had, on January 4 conferred chieftaincy titles on over 40 philanthropists in recognition of their various commitment towards human capital development.
His apology and plea for pardon were contained in a press statement the monarch personally signed and made available to journalists in Awka, on Tuesday.
The statement reads in part, “My attention has been drawn to a press statement by the Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, alluding to some Ndi Igwe in Anambra State, who recently conferred chieftaincy awards on certain personalities without clearance from the state government.
“I wish to state that as a new comer to the royal throne of Nawfia community, I was not aware the existence of the circular in question. Besides. I am not a member of the state Traditional Rulers Council, where the said circular was issued.
“In the peculiar circumstances, I declare my unalloyed loyalty to Mr. Governor, Prof C. C. Soludo, CFR, and my unreserved apology for the omission of not obtaining his approval before conferring the chieftaincy awards on deserving citizens, who were thoroughly screened before the awards were bestowed on them.
“Sir, it’s pertinent to state that the chieftaincy awards and commendation certificates are intended to motivate and galvanize indigenes and non-indigenes of Nawfia towards community development.
“As partners in uplifting Anambra State to make it liveable and secure, Mr. Governor, kindly accept the assurances of my highest esteem and respect.”
South-East PUNCH gathered that a release signed by the state Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr Nwabunwanne, had stated that the governor’s directive to suspend traditional rulers who confer chieftaincy titles on some persons without government approval is in exercise of his powers under Section 2(C) of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Law 2020, as amended.
The release explained that the conferments were in contradiction of Traditional Rulers’ Code of Conduct, which provides that no traditional ruler can confer chieftaincy title on anyone outside his community without obtaining the permission of the traditional ruler of the recipient’s community, while the state government has equally issued a directive to the effect that no such chieftaincy title should be conferred by any traditional ruler on a recipient outside his community without obtaining clearance from the ministry.
Reacting to the developments, the National Coordinator of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chinedu Obigwe, commended Soludo for bringing sanity into the traditional institutions.
Obigwe said, “The suspension of of Igwe of Neni for bastardising conferment of chieftaincy titles is a good step in the right direction.
“The era of anything goes is gone for good in Anambra State, because Governor Soludo is determined to change the old ways of doing things.
“Our traditional rulers should stop bastardising chieftaincy titles conferment and start following the provisions of traditional rulers’ code of conduct before bestowing chieftaincy titles on anybody.
“The reckless conferment of chieftaincy titles must be condemned by lovers of Igbo tradition.
“Ifeanyi Ubah is moving round Anambra State, buying chieftaincy titles, and this is a desecration of the sacred Igbo tradition. After being bestowed with undeserved Ikemba chieftaincy title in Ojoto, Ubah moved to Neni and the Neni traditional ruler ignored the recent press release issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, warning traditional rulers to desist from reckless conferment of chieftaincy title on individuals.
“He bestowed another undeserved chieftaincy title on Ifeanyi Ubah and he did not deem it necessary to follow the provisions of the traditional rulers’ code of conduct before doing that.
Insisting that “the Neni traditional ruler is the architect of his misfortune and should carry his cross, Obigwe said, “Information at my disposal is that the chieftaincy title he bestowed on Ifeanyi Ubah was bought with N5 million naira.
“Those politicising the disciplinary action taken against the traditional ruler of Neni are mischievous elements who should be ignored.”
