The dark clouds gathering in Awka Town will soon dissipate. I say this
because it is nothing compared with problems which have rocked the town
from late 1950's to late 1970's. I am referring to the "Mgbogo vs
Mgbede" imbroglio. That was the ICHIE Obuora Nebe era. He was the first
traditional ruler Awka had, but like the Biblical saying, "He came unto
his own, but his people rejected him." Mgbogo, i.e. Amenyi, Umuzuocha,
Ifite Oka, Umudioka, Umuogbunu, Umukwa and Umuogwali refused to
recognize Ichie as the traditional ruler of Awka town. Three-quarters
of Agulu Village were equally opposed to Ichie, culminating in Chief
Nwafor Onwurah of Umuonaga crowning himself, "ICHIE UKWU". Since Ichie
Oburah Nebe had been recognized by the government of Eastern Nigeria
and, subsequently, East Central State government, he did not give a
hoot about what some Awka people thought about him. Eventually, Agulu
and Amikwo Villages embraced him. Unfortunately, the bitterness from
Mgbogo group was very nauseating.
It looked as if Mgbogo and Mgbede were two different towns. In fact, it
reached a stage where it was impossible for Ichie to travel to Mgbogo
without being pelted with stones, and verbally abused. He was even
dubbed a saboteur by Mgbogo group during the civil war. Awka town
survived that harrowing period and we came out a united town, to the
surprise of our detractors.
After the death of Ichie Obuora Nebe, Awka town came out with an
amended constitution detailing procedure for selecting a traditional
ruler for the town. The preamble to the Traditional Ruler's Amended
Constitution, 1986, reads as follows:
WHEREAS, in the year 1976, the Anambra State Government promulgated the
Chieftaincy Edict 1976 (Edict No. 8) for the selection and recognition
of Chiefs by the various communities in the State, which was later
replaced by Law No. 14 of 1981 - Traditional Rulers Law, 1981,
AND WHEREAS, in the year 1959, prior to the promulgation of that Edict,
Awka Community had had a Chief recognized by the Government of the day,
the Eastern Region Government,
AND WHEREAS, in the said Edict No. 8 of 1976, there was a provision for
a written constitution by each community, where none existed, for the
selection and recognition of a Chief to be lodged with the Secretary of
the Local Government of the Area,
AND WHEREAS, the existing constitution which was lodged with the
Government in the year 1976, does not satisfy the present and future
needs of Awka in terms of selection and succession,
AND WHEREAS, the said constitution does not take due cognisance of the
customary method of sharing rights within the Awka Community,
AND WHEREAS, following the demise of the said Chief, the Awka Community
now agree to prepare a Constitution acceptable to the entire Awka
people,
NOW THEREFORE, the following principles and rules are made and adopted
by the Awka Community of Anambra State as the Amended Constitution of
the town for the selection or appointment Awka Tradition Ruler and his
installation, suspension and withdrawal of recognition.
The Constitution was approved at a meeting of the Council of Kingmakers
held at AWKA COUNCIL HALL, on Monday June 30th 1986.
Without going into details, Awka town was divided into two groups, viz,
IFITE and EZI. IFITE comprises of Ifite Oka, Ayom-Na-Okpala,
Amachala-Na-Ato, and Nkwele. EZI is made up of Amikwo, Ezioka and
Agulu. Since IFITE is historically older than EZI, plus the fact that
the last traditional ruler, Ichie, hailed from Ezi, Agulu Village to be
precise, Awka town as a whole, unanimously agreed that the next
traditional ruler must come from IFITE.
Chief, Ozo Ndigwe, Orimili, from Umuayom, the oldest village in IFITE
was chosen as the traditional ruler of Awka town. He was given the
title Eze Uzu I of Awka. However, Agulu people were still nursing the
anger of the treatment given to Ichie during his reign, by the Mgbogo
group. Therefore, when Eze Uzu I attended St. Faith's Church for a post
installation Thanksgiving service, Agulu people wanted to extract their
own pound of flesh by throwing sand at the EzeUzu entourage. It looked
as if old wounds would be renewed, however, commonsense prevailed. Awka
town, once again, rebounded and remained a united town, to the surprise
of our enemies.
The next incident that looked as if it would tear Awka town apart was
AGULU VILLAGE vs THE REST OF AWKA TOWN.
Whatever was the initial dispute, suffice it to say that Agulu village
insisted on having their own Ajaghija and Ozo title ceremonies
different and distinct from the rest of Ezi-Na-Ato and Awka
respectively. Agulu village succeeded in having their way but Awka town
has not disintegrated.
The current problem rocking the town, between Eze Uzu II and Awka
Development Union of Nigeria [ADUN] will soon fade away.
However, if we dissect the case between Eze Uzu and "Osu-na-nkiti"Awka
Development Union we will see where the blame lies. It is unfortunate
that Eze Uzu is personalizing the issue, but that should not be the
case. The problem is not between the Traditional Ruler Institution
personified by Obi Gibson Nwosu and Eng. Nzekwe Ibe. The problem is
between Eze Uzu and ADUN, the paramount administrative organ of Awka
Town. This is what Eze Uzu should be made to understand. In 2002/2003
when Eze Uzu was impeached by the whole Awka town, and he pleaded
guilty to all the charges, it was the leadership of ADUN that saved him
from the astronomical fine being contemplated to be imposed on him.
ADUN requested Awka town that Eze Uzu should not be humiliated by
excessive financial punishment. Alternatively, ADUN suggested that the
sanction of Osu-Na-Nkiti be imposed on the Eze-Uzu, where he must wine
and dine all Awka people who cared to show up in his house on an agreed
date. He, EzeUzu, agreed to the arrangement and performed the
OSU-NA-NKITI ceremony accordingly. The charges against EzeUzu were so
serious that if it were in any other Anambra Community, he would have
been dethroned. However, Awka is a very forgiving town.
The recent Eze Uzu's trip to United States of America to attend the
biennium convention of Awka Union, USA & Canada, in the city of Chicago
was quite rocky. During the Question and Answer period, he walked out
on the august assembly gathered at the convention. Everyone present was
surprised to see Eze Uzu exit the hall. As a matter of courtesy, the
elders sitting with him, hurriedly followed him to escort him to his
hotel room.
After the convention meeting was over, a select few of us, made up of
the Convention Chairman, Dr. Chuba Jon Nwakalor; President General of
Awka Union USA & Canada, Chief Eric Ekwenugo; Ozo titled man, Ozo
Onyechi; President of Boston Chapter, Chief Charles Okafor; President
of Houston Chapter, Chief Nwudealor Nweke; and my humble self,
requested audience with Eze Uzu, which he graciously agreed.
Without going into much details, two very important issues were
discussed with Eze Uzu.
1. He was asked why he unceremoniously walked out of the convention
Meeting. Here is his response verbatim, " After I had answered the
question, Nzekwe Ibe SNATCHED the microphone and I did not want to stay
because he might say something which would aggravate me." All of us in
that room were surprised, because we were all eyewitnesses at what
transpired in the Convention Hall. At this point, the Convention
Chairman, Dr. Chuba Jon Nwakalo, told EzeUzu that he would like to set
the record straight. He reminded Eze Uzu what his directive, as the
Chairman of the Convention was, when that question was asked, - "Since
this question pertains to how Eze Uzu and PG, ADUN work, it will be
appropriate if both of them answer the question." He made it crystal
clear that Nzekwe Ibe NEVER snatched the microphone, because he was far
from Mr. Conrad Ifejuka, the Awka Union USA & Canada Secretary General,
who was holding the microphone. Dr. Chuba Jon Nwakalor emphasized that
he was the person who instructed Mr. Conrad Ifejuka to take the
microphone to Eng. Nzekwe Ibe.
2. The next issue was a question I put to EzeUzu. I reminded him about
the letter the PG, ADUN, said that Anambra State Government had written
ADU informing them that the State Government would conduct the general
election for ADU in December 2007. Then I asked him whether he could
give us assurance that the State Government would not meddle in the
election of Awka town Union. After some hesitation, he convincingly
assured us that the State Government would not interfere.
Eze-Uzu enumerated multiple issues but, to any discerning mind, those
were trifles bordering on personality clashes. The two incidents above
are worth mentioning because most of the members of Awka Union, USA &
Canada had not seen Eze Uzu before. His behaviour at that Convention,
therefore, did not lend credence to his usual utterance of one
determined to maintain the unity of Awka town.
Awka-Na-Aso-Enwe in diaspora will not respond to irresponsible
utterances attributed to some Awka indigenes because to do so will be
infra digitate. As the poet, Geoffrey Chaucer said " Our Lord had faith
in all his disciples but one. Out of every twelve there must be a
Judas." We, Awka people, do not worship money but, we respect those who
earned their money in a decent and rightful way.
I want to make it abundantly clear that Awka-Na-Aso-Enwe in diaspora
are not against Governor Peter Obi as an individual. We only disagree
with His Excellency when he says that ALL LANDS in Awka town are owned
by the government. We disagree with him vehemently because the lands in
Awka town are owned by Awka people, both the living and the dead. If
the state government feels that there is a piece of land in Awka town
it wants to use, and therefore, invokes the principle of eminent
domain, it has to pay a fair market value to the owner, and not paying
peanuts through the agents of the government. This has got to stop,
because if Agulu town [Gov. Peter Obi's town] were to exchange status
with Awka town, Agulu people would protect their lands with the last
drop of blood in their veins, if the government insists on confiscating
them. What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.
No matter the extent of collusion between the traditional rulership and
some ambitious, deluded and mischievous Awka indigenes, we will resist
their nefarious activities through peaceful means and the courts . Awka
is a very peaceful town, and we will endeavour to keep it so. If these
destabilizing elements are happy to see our town, Awka, the state
capital in such a dilapidated condition, then they deserve to be
banished from that town. We may be thousands of miles away from home,
but we play very significant part in the socio-economic life of the
town. A humble estimate puts the number of Awka citizens in diaspora at
50,000. Assuming that on the average each person remits US$100 home a
month, then the total remittance per month is, therefore, US$5,000,
000.00. This is over N500 million per month. or N6 billion per annum,
using Exchange rate of N120 to US$1. That is why our voice must be
heard and our contribution respected..Ours is as of right and not a
privilege.
Awka will not be intimidated, Awka will not be bamboozled, and Awka
people will fight to keep the lands our forefathers handed down to us.
If we do not do that, posterity will spit on our graves. God forbid!
Awka, the land of my birth shall triumph.
SAMUEL. OBUKWELU Sr.
(Retired United Nations staff)
