Abia : Indigenes of the Umuihueze Resist The imposition of A New Traditional Ruler

Indigenes of the Umuihueze autonomous community, Akwete Ndoki ancient Kingdom, in Ukwa-East LGA of Abia State have protested an alleged plot to impose Daniel Nwuzor as their new traditional ruler.

Nwuzor was last week, announced as the newly elected traditional ruler of the community by the Abia State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Uzor Nwachukwu, after a plebiscite conducted in the community by his ministry.

The Commissioner who said that Nwuzor scored 9 votes to defeat Augustine Enyinnaya Ogbulu who he said got 1 vote in a peaceful plebiscite which followed due process, also explained that the state government was not interested in who becomes the traditional ruler but only interested in peace and stability in all parts of the state.

But many elders and youths of Umuihueze who staged the protest at Ukwa East LGA headquarters, Akwete against the emergence of Daniel Nwuzor as Eze-elect, called on the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti to call the Commissioner, Uzor Nwachukwu to order, to avoid breakdown of law and order.

They also alleged that the Commissioner in collusion with a federal lawmaker from the area, compromised the true process and tradition that produces a traditional ruler for Umuihueze Akwete.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved villagers, Mr Ogbonna Chijiuche, who said he is the Palace secretary of Umuihueze and Onyekwere Onyema explained that the Akwete ancient Kingdom which has existed for more than 400 years, has a well-established monarchical dynasty of succession and is not known for kingship tussle.

He noted that the Umuihueze Akwete Council of Chiefs had written to the Abia State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, requesting to present Augustine Enyinnaya Ogbulu as the Onyenweala VII using the old and subsisting regulations of Umuihueze autonomous community which according to them, got a written approval but wondered why a plebiscite was rather conducted by the Commissioner.

“The traditional stool of Umuihueze autonomous community, Akwete Ndoki ancient Kingdom which is known as Onyenweala has existed for more than 400 years with King Agbara Akunwata Otuji, the Onyenweala 1 of Akwete Umuihueze autonomous community.

“The Onyenweala III after Dadaa Ekeke Agbara the Onyenweala II was the King Okerenta Ekeke Agbara who signed the treaty with the British in 1892, thus, bringing Akwete under British Protectorate, after Lagos in 1860. The last Onyenweala VI, King (Eze) Truman Wabara Akpara died in 1980”, Chijiuche said.