By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has waded into the age-long kinship crisis rocking Awka kingdom, the capital city of the state, over who occupies the authentic throne of the town’s monarchy.
The cold war, which has taken varied dimensions, has been raging between Obi Gibson Nwosu and Chief Austin Ndigwe, popularly known as Uzu Awka.
The Anambra State Government, however, on Saturday, September 10, waded into and passed her judgement on the matter.
The state government, in a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu, emphatically stated that Obi Gibson Nwosu (Eze Uzu II) is the authentic and duly recognised monarch of Awka Kingdom.
Sir Nwosu, in the statement, also banned and warned Chief Austin Ndigwe, to cease from parading himself as the monarch of Awka kingdom.
The statement was coming shortly after a dramatic brouhaha in Awka on Saturday morning, when a group of heavily-armed security operatives stormed and sealed the palace of Chief Ndigwe, who was warning up to celebrate the community’s new yam festival, with many invited guests from far and near already seated.
It was gathered that the security operatives chased away guests and also shot canisters of teargas into the crowd, causing the guests to scamper for safety, leaving some wounded.
While many have reportedly attributed the commotion to Anambra billionaire, Prince Arthur Eze; many, on the other hand, have described the press statement by Commissioner Nwosu as a confirmation that the security operatives were acting on the orders of the state Governor, Prof. Soludo.
The press statement reads: “It has come to the attention of Anambra State government that one Augustine Ndigwe, Alias Uzu Awka is parading himself as the authentic traditional ruler of Awka.
“Not only that, he is also taking steps to perform one of the major harvest seasons traditional rite known as New Yam festival, thereby threatening the peace and tranquility of the town. The state government will not tolerate this.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the state government wishes to state emphatically that the only recognized traditional ruler is His Royal Highness, Obi Gibson Nwosu, Eze Uzu II, whose recognition by the state government has not been withdrawn, and is the only one empowered by section 15 of the traditional rulers law of Anambra State, to preside over such festival or carry out the function of a traditional ruler in Awka.
“It is a criminal offence for any other person to do so, by virtue of section 20 of the traditional rulers law of Anambra State 2007.”
The Commissioner stated that Ndigwe is not the traditional ruler of Awka Kingdom and should henceforth, desist from portraying himself as the traditional ruler of Awka or attempting to usurp the rights of a duly recognised traditional ruler.
“Any such unlawful act in any part of the state would not be condoned by the state government, and the state would not hesitate to sanction the impostor according to the relevant laws of Anambra State,” he added.
