Charles Soludo Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo has suspended the traditional ruler of Neni Town, HRH Igwe Damian O. Ezeani, over what the state government called a violation of the official Code of Conduct that governs conventional rulers in the state, regarding the conferment of chieftaincy title on individuals.
A letter issued from the Anambra State Government, and duly signed by the Honorable Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Community Affairs, Mr. Tonycollins Nwabunwanne, revealed that Igwe Ezeani was suspended for conferring chieftaincy title on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and one of the major governorship aspirants in the state ahead of the next Governorship Election.
Hon. Tonycollins stated that the joint body of the traditional rulers in the state agreed to a Code of Conduct raised by the state government which mandates every traditional ruler in Anambra State to acquire permission from both the traditional ruler of the town of the title recipient and the state's Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Community Affairs before any title could be conferred on any individual who is not from the jurisdiction of the traditional ruler conferring the title.
Speaking further, Hon. Tonycollins stated that the step was taken to modify suspected fraudulent activities surrounding conferment of chieftaincy titles in the state. He stated that some of the traditional rulers in the state were detected to be trading chieftaincy titles for money, an act that was seen as a threat to the tradition of the land.
Hon. Tonycollins said, "This regulation aims to prevent the misuse of such titles and to ensure the dignity of the traditional institutions is maintained.”
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah has been a major threat to the popularity of Prof. Charles Soludo, even when he was in a political party that did not enjoy widespread popularity as the Soludo's All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Recently, Senator Ubah announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has shown interest in contesting for the Governorship seat of Anambra State, challenging the second term ambition of Governor Soludo, in the next Guber Poll in the state.
Taking the development from Anambra State to The Round Table, a netizen to a pro-story on the Nairaland. He wrote:
”So a Senator of the Federal Republic is not qualified (in the eyes of the clueless Soludo Government), to receive the chieftaincy title that was also handed to several other illustrious Anambrarians as part of the 20th Ofalla Festival of HRH Igwe Damian Onwuamaeze Ezeani (Igwe Ugonabo Neni) on the 29th of December, 2023. An event in which the Senator was unavoidably absent and visited the Palace today to receive his.
”Note that the state government does not decide the occupant of any Igweship stool for any community but rather is obligated to hand a letter of recognition based on the community’s unanimous decision, just as it also does not have powers to decide who the community wishes to confer chieftaincy title on.
”Attempting to usurp such powers. is akin to asking a father to get permission from the Government before naming his child.
”That letter authored by the over-zealous young man Tony Collins Nwabunwanne is a direct insult to the entire Neni Community.
”These recent acts of desperation, pettiness, and cluelessness only remind one of some of the similar acts by some overzealous Government officials in the then-Jonathan administration when it had dawned on many then that a regime change was in the offing.
”This Governor is throwing panic punches so early in the day on a man of grace who has never been known to shy away from any attack, no matter the guise or form that it takes.
”The Governor of Anambra State must be called to order, and the unjust suspension of the Igwe of Neni must be immediately nullified.
”We cannot allow the erosion of our traditional institutions, the subversion of justice, and the perpetuation of political vendetta to continue unchecked.”
Category: World-News
Tag: Gov Soludo Suspends Monarch for Conferring Chieftaincy Title on His Political Opponent
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Published 1/9/2024 10:39:51 AM