The Okpala Umuekwune Council of Chiefs in Ngor Okpala local government area of Imo State has presented her Eze-Elect, Chief Theophilius Ikeh to the new Commissioner for Local Government Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs. Ruby Emele.
This was done through a letter signed by the Chairman of the Council of Chiefs, Chief Eugene Ikegwu, the Secretary, Chief Eugene Amadi, the President General, Mr. Remigius Okere and the Youth leader, Mr. Tochi Eke, in which they formally introduced the authentic Eze Elect of their community, Chief Theophilius Ikeh.
The community used the opportunity to explain to the commissioner the process they took in selecting the new Eze which was based on rotation.
The Qoheleth gathered from the letter that the community is made up of three blocks namely; Umuogi, Mba ato and Umumo. Out of the three blocks, Umuogi and Mba ato have each produced an Eze who ruled until they died on their thrones. The last Eze, Bara K. K. Ikegwu, who died in 2021 at the age of 58 came from Mba ato. After the demise of this traditional ruler, the Council of Chiefs under the leadership of the Traditional Prime Minister and Regent, Chief Emeka Eguzoro have been seeing to the affairs of the community. This, according to them is in line with the tradition and code of conduct of the autonomous community.
In the letter which was also copied to the Director of local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Imo State Commissioner for Justice, Sole Administrator of Ngor Okpala local government and the traditional ruler of Egbelu Umuekwune Autonomous Community, Eze George Nwosu, the Council explained that after the mourning of the last Eze, a screening committee was set up in line with the community’s constitution for the selection of a new Eze from the block whose turn is to produce the next Eze. Through this committee, Chief Ike emerged as the Eze elect of Okpala Umuekwune Autonomous Community. He was subsequently presented to the Sole Administrator of Ngor Okpala Local Government Area in company of the community’s Traditional Prime Minister, Chief Emeka Eguzoro, President General of the Community, Mr. Remigius Okere as well as council chiefs, women and youth leaders on August 10, 2023 as the recognized Eze- elect to succeed Late Eze Bara Ikegwu.
The Community leaders used the opportunity to bring to the notice of the Commissioner and emphasize on their unreserved disclaimer of an impostor in the name of Chief Vitalis Ogbonna who they claim has been parading himself illegally as a consensus Eze elect of the autonomous community.
The community leaders lamented that while they were busy finishing the burial rites of the late Eze Bara Ikegwu, one Chief Vitalis Ogbonna quickly rushed to Ngor Okpala Local Government Sole Administrator to present himself in company of some miscreants and touts from some villages without the knowledge of the Council.
They recalled that Chief Ogbonna in a desperate bid to become the Eze of Okpala Umuekwune had previously taken the late Eze Bara Ikegwu to court claiming that it was the turn of his village to produce the Eze. The case was in court till the death of the previous Eze. He was also alleged to have neither presented himself to the screening committee set up for the selection of a new Eze nor to the President General of the community which the Council said is tantamount to corruption in the community. “He does not recognize our Council and is trying to destroy the structure put in place by our late Ezes,” they said.
The Council of Chiefs therefore implored the Commissioner to stop Chief Vitalis Ogbonna from parading himself as the Eze elect of Okpala Umuekwune autonomous community to avoid violence and disruption of peace in their community.
The Qoheleth also gathered that Chief Theophilius Ikeh has previously been cleared by the Department of State Service (DSS), Owerri after his selection by the community. His file has also been presented to the office of Commissioner for local government development and chieftaincy affairs for verification and approval.
The Council therefore solicit the processing of Chief Ikeh’s documents to enable him be given staff of office by the government of Imo State.
