CHUKA UBAH
The Exco members of Traditional Council of Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike today 1st November, 2022, converged at the office of the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Government House, Awka.
The traditional red cap Chiefs armed with a Press Statement, sought to stop the breach of peace, and illicit acts of one Mr Anene Osadebe, who is parading himself as AkaEze (Traditional Prime Minister) of Ogbunike.
It would be recalled that the Traditional Council of Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike had earlier met with the Commissioner, Collins Nwabunne, where he was dully communicated and informed officially that Mr. Osadebe was a meddlesome interloper in the Chieftaincy affairs of Ogbunike community.
According to the Press Statement made available to newsmen at the Government House Awka, the traditional Council of Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike stated:
“For many years now, the Traditional Council of Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike has been in a running battle with one Mr Anene Osadebe, the self-styled Ozo title holder of Adagbe Ifite Village Ogbunike; a self-styled red cap title holder of Ifite Village Ogbunike; an extra-constitutional “AkaEze Ogbunike” or Traditional Prime Minister to Igwe Ogbunike and sometime self-ascribed “Acting Igwe of Ogbunike”.
“Both the Ogbunike Progress Union, OPU and the Traditional Council of Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike have tried to resolve this running battle, but Mr. Osadebe has frustrated every effort to do so either by rebuffing efforts to resolve the issues or by continuing in the course of conduct that led to the problems in the first place.”
“In 2018, Traditional Council of Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike informed Igwe Ogbunike that Mr. Osadebe was not a red cap chief of Ifite Village, Ogbunike. The Traditional Council also informed Igwe Ogbunike that Mr. Osadebe was not only unqualified to be a member of Igwe’s Council but could not possibly be “AkaEze Ogbunike”. Igwe Ogbunike did not act on this advice until his death in 2020.”
“Since the death of Igwe Ogbunike, Mr. Osadebe has been parading himself among others as a red cap chief of Ifite Ogbunike, and as “AkaEze Ogbunike”.
“In the absence of Igwe Ogbunike, Mr. Osadebe has purported to exercise constitutional and traditional authority on behalf of Igwe Ogbunike, including making public announcements on behalf of our deceased Igwe Ogbunike, and issuing press releases and press statements to the public concerning traditional matters particularly the forthcoming funeral rites and ceremonies for our deceased Igwe Ogbunike.”
“With the forthcoming funeral rites and ceremonies of our Igwe scheduled for Saturday 24th December, 2022, it has become imperative that the political leadership of Ogbunike Progress Union and the traditional leadership of Ogbunike, the Traditional Council of Ndichie/Ogbuefi clear the air concerning Mr. Osadebe, his status in Ogbunike, and his role in the forthcoming events.”
“Most importantly, we jointly state emphatically that Mr. Osadebe is not a red cap chief of Ifite village, Ogbunike. He is therefore, not a member of the traditional Council of the Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike, and he could not possibly be “AkaEze Ogbunike” or Traditional Prime Minister to Igwe Ogbunike” the statement read.
The Traditional Council of Ndichie/Ogbuefi Ogbunike had taken a peaceful protest to the Government House to stop Osadebe from further acting in a manner capable of causing breach of peace, breakdown of law and order in Ogbunike.