P.M.EXPRESS reports that the leader of the group, Ozo Ijerenze invoked his supreme powers against Ishimiri and suspended him for allegedly addressing member of Indigenous Council of Nze na Ozo led by Chief Bonaventure Mokwe on the new yam festival brochure as Nze na Ozo in Umuchu whereas he is not a member of Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo Umuchu.
According to Ijerenze, the suspended Ishimiri as Committee Chairman did not protect the intrest of his group thereby committed a misconduct by recognizing undisclosed member of Indigenous Nze na Ozo in the brochure for the new yam festival.
He alleged that Ishimiri was aware of the supremacy battle between the Indigenous and Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo in Umuchu yet he accommodated and recognized the person as Nze na Ozo Umuchu.
Trouble was said to have started after Ishimiri was appointed the Committee Chairman of New Yam festival in 2025 by the Igwe’s Cabinet and he started working with other members.
However, a member of the Indigenous Council of Nze na Ozo appeared in the brochure for the new yam festival and it got to the notice of members of Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo.
Ozo Ijerenze was said to have become angry and he ordered that since Ishimiri had printed the name in the brochure, the only condition for the Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo to attend the festival is for him to go to the High Court and swear an affidavit within two weeks declaring that the person his name appeared in the brochure as Nze na Ozo is not a member of Nze na Ozo title holders in Umuchu town because he does not belong to the Supreme Council. He threatened to suspend him from their group.
This brought hot exchange of words between Ishimiri and Ijerenze. Ishimiri told him that he was appointed Chairman of the Committee by Igwe’s Cabinet and not Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo. He said that Ijerenze has been doing everything possible to frustrate the new yam festival and there was no connection between his committee and Nze na Ozo.
Ozo Ishimiri further told him that there is no constitution in Umuchu, Aguata LG and Anambra State, which said it is only the Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo that will be recognized in Umuchu town.
Thus, Ozo Ijerenze invoked his powers and subsequently suspended him from Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo Umuchu.
The fate of another member of the Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo Umuchu, Barr. Nobis Elendu,is uncertain, who had earlier declared that Nze na Ozo Umuchu is a kindred affair as such Supreme Council of Nze na Ozo Umuchu is not a monopoly of the Ozoship in Umuchu. This was in line with the position of Igwe Godson Ezechukwu’s Cabinet who is the custodian of culture and tradition in Umuchu town.
The Supremacy battle between the Supreme Council and Indigenous Council of Nze na Ozo has since moved from Umuchu town to the Governor’s office in Awka, the State Capital.