By Vincent Ujumadu

Awka—THERE have been dissenting voices in Ezennaja-Amada village, Oraukwu, in Idemili South LGA, Anambra State, over the selection of the traditional ruler for the community. However, a section of Ezennaja-Amada has denied any rift over the choice of a candidate for the stool. Chief Ogoo Mmeni, Chairman of Ezennaja-Amada village, whose turn it is to produce the traditional ruler, said that contrary to insinuation in some quarters, there is no crisis in Oraukwu over the selection of the next traditional ruler of the town, adding that all the required processes for the selection have been carried out successfully.

While commending members of the caretaker committee set up by the state government for ensuring that due process was followed in selecting the next monarch for Oraukwu, Mmeni explained that members of Oraukwu Congress have carried out Igweship pre-election screening and the election proper and then presented the Igwe-elect  to the people.

The statement from the chairman of the village read: “The election was properly conducted and it culminated in the swearing in of the officers of the 10th Oraukwu Congress on December 31, 2015 in a most convivial atmosphere. That day, to the joy and relief of all, the caretaker committee of Oraukwu Congress stepped down in great honour and there and then, the 10th Congress took over and performed the rest of the functions.

“There were, of course, losers and naturally such losers would complain, but such complaints do not amount to a crisis. The fact that such persons were not democratic enough to accept the outcome of a transparent democratic process would not amount to a crisis.” The statement said by a letter dated May 31, 2012, Oraukwu Congress requested Ezennaja-Amada village to nominate candidates for screening for the election into the office of Igwe of Oraukwu and three people showed interest.

According to the statement, though there were deliberate efforts by a minute section of the community to undermine the exercise, the election was eventually held on December 29, 2015, adding that at the end of the exercise, the results were announced and authenticated by a representative of each of the kindred in the Ezennaja-Amada village, the Obi of the village, a chief from the village and a representative of the chairman of Idemili South LGA.

It said that details of the votes cast showed that Chief Vincent Okechukwu scored 20 votes; Chief Pius Okoye, 535, and Dr. Emeka Onuorah, 15 votes, regretting that no sooner were  the results announced than the President-General of Oraukwu Congress declared the election null and void. “The entire process was very transparent and credible and observers from government of Anambra State were on hand to monitor the exercise,” the statement said.

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However, another section of the community said there was no election, adding that it had been difficult for the king makers in the town to agree on the modality for the selection of the replacement for the late traditional ruler of Oraukwu. The groups said that the constitution of the town must be followed strictly in selecting a new monarch, insisting that it would oppose any move to drop some aspects of the selection process.

The group alleged that those in opposition tried to force the Regent of the town, Chief Chiedu, to anoint a particular aspirant as the next traditional ruler without going through the laid down processes. Chiedu, however, said that most members of his cabinet have insisted that the constitution of the town must be strictly followed in selecting the new traditional ruler and argued that as the custodian of the customs and traditions of the people, he would not compromise the constitution of Oraukwu.

He said: “A situation whereby some members of the community want to circumvent the provisions of the constitution to impose a candidate of their choice on the town as the traditional rule is unacceptable. “The group had committed an abomination by breaking into my house on December 30, 2015 when I was not around and pretentiously posed in a photograph as having presented their elected Igwe to me.

“Neither myself nor members of Regent-in-Council were around when the group came, but they later went around to announce that I received them. “What members of the group did was unacceptable and they have to offer sacrifice to cleanse the land before we go back to discuss the issue of installing our next Igwe.”