Confusion has taken over the Obibi-Uratta autonomous community in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo state following the emergence of two traditional rulers in the community.
This comes after Imo state Governor Hope Uzodimma gave a Staff of Office to another traditional ruler, named Bon Ariri, last Friday in a community where Eze Professor, Amobi Uwaleke is the traditional ruler.
Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday at his palace in Obibi-Uratta, about the controversy, Eze Uwaleke, said it’s not acceptable to have two monarchs in a community.
Uwaleke argued that he was surprised that there was no allegation of corruption brought against him, no plebiscite conducted in his community on whether he should continue as the traditional ruler of the community but was angry that all of sudden, he had a rumour of staff of office was given to another person as a traditional ruler of the community.
According to him, “The govt has not sent people to call me that I am no more the Eze, or written any letter that I am not the Eze of my community, whether the govt has the right to tell me I am no more the Eze is a matter for further discussion. I know the governor is knowledgeable for the govt to say an Eze is removed without following the guidelines they know the implication.
“In a case of there is any corruption, they could have set up a committee to look into any allegations or set up a plebiscite for the community to come out and decide if they still want me to continue to be their Eze.
“Eze is made by the people and for the people. The community select their Eze and govt does not make an Eze, what the government does is issue a certificate of recognition and the govt may issue a letter of recognition and possibly staff of office that is what the constitution says.”
He added: “In the case of my community, we follow our tradition in the making of the Eze. When our people want to select their Eze, it went through the Oha Supreme council after they confirmed before you will start going to the local level and the state level. So, somebody cannot come and claim to be the Eze of a community. So, the letter of recognition was for me came on the 14 of August 2018.”
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