Anambra community on edge over plot to make traditional ruler stool rotational

The alleged plot by some influential individuals to rotate the traditional stool of Amorka community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State is putting the community on the edge.

The move has led to protest as some members of the community accused some government officials of plot to truncate the peace of the area.

Members of the community, who stormed the state government house Awka, appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to intervene before the situation degenerated into a bigger crisis.

Mr. Nicholas Ohaemesi, who led the protest, said the community conducted a peaceful town union election, which was supervised by government officials, adding that Prof. Simon Alozieuwa emerged as the president general.

“Few years after the PG was sworn in, some people in the government started calling him and asking him to work against the traditional ruler. They said he must rewrite the constitution of the community to include the rotation of the Igwe stool in the community and he told them that the PG office is different from the Igwe in council. We want the governor to intervene and call them to order so that our PG can complete his tenure,” he said.

Speaking to South East Trust, one of the elders in the protest, 70-year-old Chief Flex Obidiokpu, said the problem is that some people want to change the traditional structure of the community by force.

He said it is not the practise of the community to rotate the traditional stool.

“Our traditional ruler’s stool is hereditary. There are ways of selecting the occupant of the throne. Our kingdom is not an autonomous community, it is traditional and it has lasted for many years. Any person who wants to be a monarch should apply to the government for autonomous community. We cannot allow our stool to be bastardised by any person,” he said.

A youth leader in the community, Comrade Benjamin Ohibuike, said that town union and Igwe in council are not the same thing and that any person who has ambition of becoming a monarch should go and resolve the issue and leave the PG alone to complete his tenure.

Mr. Nwike Ikechukwu of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who represented the government commended the community for their peaceful protest and assured them that government would address their challenges.