Ogwuaga Abba Eze-Elect, The Botched Issuance Of Staff Of Office, The Legal Challenges And Matters Arising

NJOKU MACDONALD OBINNA 

There is no gainsaying that most conspicuous causes of social conflict in Igbo communities in recent times are traditional rulership chieftaincy title, land and boundary disputes, the outcast (Osu) syndrome, among others. 

Judging from considerable empirical evidence rather than theory, pure logic, or guess work, the major causes of the Ezeship tussle in Igboland – South East, Nigeria, include the issue of whether the office of the Eze should be hereditary or rotatory, family ancestry, superiority or seniority syndrome and the balkanization of communities into new kingdoms, otherwise referred to as autonomous communities, which gives recognition to the position of Ezeship in the new communities to succession. 

From the above backdrop, Ogwuaga  Abba Autonomous Community in Nwangele Local Government Council, Imo State, had also had its share of  community social conflict in her bid to produce a worthy successor or  replacement of the late monarch, His Royal Majesty, Eze (Justice) G.G.I. Ojiako (C.J. Rtd) KSM, CON,  (Dim Ohamadike l of Ogwuaga Abba) of blessed memory (1932-2018).  

Regrettably, the two illustrious sons of the community and respected Abba  leaders jostling for the coveted vacant  Ezeship stool of Dim Ohamadike ll of  Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community, Nwangele LGA, Imo State, are not kinsmen but biological brothers; a case of royal rumble between a younger brother, Chief Okezie Akwiwu  and his elder brother, Nze Obinna Akwiwu (Oshimiri lll of Abba); who saw him through school and gave him the needed assistance overseas to be a complete man and successful in his endeavours.

Quite appalling, the opposite of gratitude and respect for an elder brother was what the former reportedly brought back home as a ‘thank you’  while ‘Umunnadi (kinsmen)’,  just like the devil that fishes in troubled waters, have continued to use both known and unknown background war tactics to polarise and divide the powerful Akwiwu Dynasty as they incite  two brothers against each other in a socio-political nay ezeship tussle logjam.

 Penultimate Friday, 4th February, 2022, in what was supposed to be a day and date with destiny to the various Ezes-elect across Imo communities as they had earlier received official invitation from the Office of the Governor: Imo State  Ministry of Culture and Chieftaincy Affairs; having fulfilled all the requirements and gone through the necessary documentations, which qualified them to be duly recognized and issued a staff of office by Governor Hope Uzodimma as traditional rulers in their respective communities, Ogwuaga Abba inclusive.  

From the official release and  comprehensive list at the Imo State  Registry, the name of Chief Obinna Akwiwu (Oshimiri lll of Abba, Odokara Ome ll, Nwachinemere l, Nze Oshimiri Ukege); a respected community leader, elder statesman, opinion moulder, father figure to many, mentor,  business mogul and apparant heir to the Akwiwu Dynasty, was conspicuously captured and submitted to the Imo State Government  as the duly recognized Eze-elect of Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community even as his name became a recurring decimal at the Excos Chamber,  Government House, Owerri,  while other Ezes-designate took notice of him with such harmless jealousy that presumed they were in his stead and big shoes as a very close longtime friend of Governor Hope Uzodimma. 

 On that fateful Friday, Oshimiri lll of Abba, a very organized and polished British trained business man with the notoriety of keeping to time, was properly dressed in his blue royal regale with a touch of Ishiagu (lion head) attire. A meeting that was supposed to  start by 10am had Chief Obinna Akwiwu already seated in the Imo State Government House, Excos chamber, by 8:45am.  A star is never hidden at any function.

The Ogwuaga Abba Eze-elect, His Royal Highness, Chief Obinna Akwiwu, stood out among the galaxy of Ezes-elect and other top government functionaries in attendance. His face beamed with such candor and smile as he received cheers from people and also exchanged pleasantries with other traditional rulers present.  

 While waiting with patience and breathed air to be called upon by the Governor for his staff of office as the traditional ruler- elect of Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community, his traducers and detractors, who had made themselves available willing tools for evil machinations in the hands of a few powerful forces in the community, were busy plotting on how to stop him at all costs, by any foul means  possible, just for a mere pittance. 

 As a reporter accredited to cover the event, I listened very attentively; in fact,  with rapt attention to know when the name of the duly recognized Eze-elect of Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community, His Royal Highness, Nze Obinna Akwiwu (Oshimiri lll of Abba, Ohamadike ll of Ogwuaga Abba), would be called upon by Gov. Hope Uzodimma for his staff of office.

Just like myself, a number of those who came in solidarity for Oshimiri Ukeje’s enthronement were also curiously waiting for his name to be mentioned. Unfortunately, such expectation was temporarily cut short as his staff of office was stepped down by the Imo State Government for alleged ex parte application for stay of execution restraining the government from handing over the staff of office to Chief Obinna Akwiwu as the authentic and duly recognized Eze-elect of the Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community.  

The aim of these mischief makers and hired ‘devils advocates’ was simply to embarrass Nze Nwachinmere l of Abba and paint him in a very bad light: presuppossedly that his community and the good people of Ogwuaga Abba did not want him but rather prefer his younger brother, Chief Okezie Akwiwu, who had no interest in the Ezeship stool but was compelled by these mischievous kinsmen whose stock in trade is to divide successful families and incite brothers against one another.  

 While they may have won a temporary fight with their hatchet wicked plan to bring him down,  they stand to lose the main battle as Nze Obinna Akwiwu (Oshimiri lll of Abba)’s name is still intact in the Imo State Government’s list as the duly recognized Eze-elect of Ogwuaga Abba even as the legal fireworks between him and his kid brother subsists in Court.  

Aftermath of the Friday hatched embarrassing outing at the Imo State Government House, Owerri, Nze Obinna Akwiwu, Eze-elect of Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community, was nonetheless given a resounding heroic  21 gunshots befitting his status as he was joyfully welcomed back home by the already awaiting kinsmen at his Royal Palace. The naysayers and detractors covered their faces in shame as they questioned the effrontery, which the Eze-elect put up instead of being overtly demoralized. Calls were flying up and down to truly know whether he was given the staff of office or not. 

 The same ancestral grace, which found him worthy as an apparent heir to the Akwiwu Dynasty, is still speaking for him as Nze Obinna Akwiwu (Oshimiri lll of Abba, Dim Ohamadike ll of Ogwuaga Abba), the following day, received an invitation to attend the meeting of Imo State Council of Elders; a revered  recognized Advisory Arm of the Imo State Government peopled majorly by traditional rulers, religious leaders, elder statesmen, former State Governors, opinion moulders and thought leaders  carefully selected by the State Governor to advise him on the state of the affairs of Imo and sundry issues bothering on governance. Oshimiri lll was physically present in his full regale and glory! 

 Nze Obinna Akwiwu, a respected community leader, elder statesman, business mogul and opinion moulder, is never  deterred by the ugly incident  of previous Friday at the Imo State Government House, Owerri, as he has kept his head up while putting measures in place to resolve the seeming misunderstanding between him and his younger brother, Chief Okezie Akwiwu, which is largely caused by ‘umunnadi’ or kinsmen ‘who have continued to  fan the ember  for sustained legal fireworks between the two brothers for selfish aggrandizement.  

 In dealing with people as a leader, you will often encounter particular problems that will tend to make you emotional and lock you into the hasty generalization that all human beings are the same in general terms. Such problems include unexpected political battles, betrayal, superficial judgements of your character or personality, gang up and petty minded criticism of your leadership or even position. Nze Obinna Akwiwu, no doubt, has gone beyond the machinations of these cynics, naysayers and devil’s advocates as he trudges on with the task ahead.    

While Chief Okezie Akwiwu’s faction of the Ogwuaga Abba Ezeship stool tussle truly proved a point by hatching the evil plot, which temporary stepped down the issuance of a Staff of Office to the Eze-elect, His Royal Highness, Nze Obinna Akwiwu (Oshimiri lll of Abba, Dim Ohamadike ll of Ogwuaga Abba), it is not yet uhuru as the later has continued to enjoy the goodwill of his people and the best assurances of His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma in his clarion call to serve Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community as her traditional ruler.  

Those who mean well for Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community should build a  bridge by truly reconciling these two brothers and respected illustrious sons of the community rather than fishing in troubled waters like the proverbial devil.          

–Njoku Macdonald ObinnaMedia Consultant|PR-Expert Publisher, 4th Estate Reporters.