Community Elects American-Based Lawyer, University Don As Monarch ….34 Years After
From Chuks Collins, Awka
The sleepy community of Lilu in Ihiala Council area of Anambra State, at the weekend elected Chief Godson Onyediri, an American trained/based legal luminary and university teacher as its traditional ruler.
He is currently a private attorney based in Houston in the United States of America. Before relocating to the USA, the newly chosen monarch, a multi-discipline First Class graduate was an outstanding lecturer at the Anambra State University, now Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
The emergence of the new monarch came after a very long spell of 34 years when the last traditional ruler, late Igwe Felix Olikagu celebrated his last Ofala festival in 1984.
Since then there had been one crisis after another with various interest groups propounding all kinds of theories and permutations to favour and support their separate but historically unsubstantiated claims to the throne.
Committee after another was set up to seek a way forward until when a combined body of clergies from the community intervened and brokered an acceptable formula to peace.
Consequently, the Lilu Chieftaincy Electoral Committee(LCEC) 2018 headed by Rev Samson Okwudili was set up to organize, supervise and carry out the election of a new traditional ruler for the community.
Six persons- Chief Bernard Ebuzoeme; Chief Felix Ezenwajiugo; Nze Onuoha Otuogbajie Ezelibe(Agbalanze); Chief Dr, Barr Godson Onyediri(Ikenga Lilu); Prof Michael Obi Onyekonwu and Chief Ezeanyaezu Ihichukwu(Okpoko) indicated interest and picked application forms, completed and returned them. They also individually signed undertaking to abide by the outcome, being the popular wish of the Lilu people.
At last Onyediri who even before the actual contest clearly looked set to sweep the stakes as the very popular wish of the community due to his serial good works and unbridled philanthropy to citizens of the community and environs over the years.
So, despite the torrential rains that soaked the St Charles Cahtolic Parish venue for the election, on Friday, August 31,2018 thousands of enthusiastic natives, friends, observers, government officials, police and other security agencies as well as journalists watched with keen interest and enthusiasm as the six candidates, all from Zone One chieftaincy Quarter lined up against each other seeking the mandate of the community to become their traditional ruler.
Eventually, Onyediri polled 1148 votes to emerge victorious, beating his closest rival, Prof Onyekonwu who got only 622 votes to the second position. Others including Ebuzoeme polled 459 votes; Onuoha got 290; Ihichukwu 184 and Ezenwajiugo polled 18 votes. Voting and eventual collation stretched into the night until the final result was announced to the joy of all at about 11.15pm by Rev Okwudili. He consequently handed over the “Certificate of Return” to the new Igwe-elect, Chief Onyediri.
Onyediri, evidently a humble man thanked all citizens and well wishers of the community especially other contestants for the peaceful disposition and rancour-free tasking patience they displayed which saw the process peacefully come to an end with his emergence as the eventual winner by popular vote. While appealing for all to close ranks for the onerous task ahead which was the development of the community, he said that the greatest winner was all Lilu citizen.
The Igwe-elect led in the celebration of the 2018 New Yam festival the next day, and topped it up with the special thanksgiving service at the St Charles Catholic Church, All Saints Anglican Church and the Christ Holy Church, Odozi-Obodo, Igbe Lilu the next day.
At the church, he broke into songs of worship to God Almighty used the occasion to thank all the people for choosing and bestowing their trust and confidence in him.
