Chieftaincy tussle: Town’s union backs monarch

The people of Nanka town in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra state have insisted that they do not have any crisis resulting from the amended Nanka Patriotic Union (NPU), and chieftaincy constitution 2011.

A resolution at the end of a meeting of the town’s union, which included its youths and women’s wings, the people said they have a traditional ruler, Igwe Godwin Ogochukwu Ezeilo, who was validly elected and crowned after being certified by the state government and would not need one.

The statement came at heels of a protest by some members of Ezeokweghi/Ezeofor Royal Family of Enugwu Nanka who on August 18, 2020 faulted the process that produced the present of Nanka monarch.

They claimed that ,the constitution that brought Igwe Godwin Ogochukwu Ezeilo was forged and as such it could not be used in the selection of the present monarch.

However, the meeting said only few disgruntled individuals who are interested in perpetuating their family as the only ruling family in Nanka are making noise.

They also passed a vote of confidence on their traditional ruler, saying that they were solidly in support of his kingship.

According them, since the monarch assumption into office the town has been witnessing great developments with a relative peace.

They called on those few individuals from Ezeokweghi/ Ezeofor family to face the reality that Nanka has gotten a traditional ruler and stop formenting trouble about it.

Speaking, shortly after the meeting, the traditional ruler of Nanka town , Igwe Godwin Ogochukwu Ezeilo said the town has no problem either in the amended constitution or in his selection as the traditional ruler of the town.

He said that, it was regrettably that despite all efforts by the people of Nanka to live peacefully,few individuals were bent on creating problems to distabilise the town’s peace.

According to him, members of Ezeokweghi/ Ezeofor are actually represented in his cabinet and wondered why some individuals are fomenting trouble.

Also some of the elderly people in the community, who spoke to South East Trust, said there was no problem in the town apart from few individuals who wanted to the stool to remain forever in their family.

Ichie ,Slyvester Ezeokoye, 87, told South East Trust that there was no problem in community apart from the traditional stool which was settled.

According to him, those who have not gotten the opportunity should wait for their time rather than creating problems.

“We have agreed that the stool should be rotating among the various communities, since it is not hereditary. We have gotten our king and any person who wants to be king should go somewhere else. All the Nanka people joined hands and made the present king and we do not need another one now” he said.

Also Ichie, Emma Okonkwo, 89, said the constitution of Nanka says the stool shall rotate among the seven communities ``and that is where we stand’’.

The former , chairman of Ezeokweghi Ezeofor family Rev. Canon John ifeanyichukwu said that late Igwe Gilbert Nwabueze Oformata was his brother, saying that those agitators were not representing them but their selfish interest.

“Our brothers who are agitating are not representing us. We did not send them and there are on their own. It is only few individuals among us that are creating crisis in the town. We are solidly behind HRH Igwe Godwin Ogochukwu Ezeilo,” he said